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AN   OLD,  OLD 
STORY-BOOK 

Compilcti  from  tl^t  #Ui  €cj6ftament 
EYA  MARCH   TAPPA^ 


J  •       >       J     «         >       1 


BOSTON    AND    NEW   YORK 

HOUGHTON  MIFFLIN  COMPANY 

C^e  KtijerstUe  press  CarabnUsc 

1910 


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5 


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COPYRIGHT,   1910,   BY  HOUGHTON  MIFFLIN  COMPANY 
ALL   RIGHTS   RESERVED 

Published  October  iqia 

GIFT  OF 


(/ 


.l     e  a  *s  » 


/ 


PEEFACB 

This  book  is  not  an  attempt  to  "  bring  down  "  the  Scriptures 
to  children.  It  is  simply  a  collection  of  Old  Testament  stories, 
given  in  the  words  of  the  Bible,  but  arranged  like  other  books 
in  paragraphs  rather  than  verses.  Nothing  is  added,  but 
there  is  an  occasional  omission,  of  a  genealogy,  for  instance, 
whose  inclusion  would  take  from  the  distinctness  of  the  nar- 
rative, or  of  some  phrase  leading  necessarily  to  questionings 
which  it  seems  wiser  to  postpone  for  a  time.  Otherwise  the 
Bible  text  has  been  strictly  followed  in  the  hope  that  "An 
Old,  Old  Story-Book"  may  render  yeoman's  service  in  bring- 
ing about  a  familiarity  with  the  Book  of  Books. 

Eva  Maech  Tappan. 

Worcester    , 
July  23,  1910. 


^^2P-'' 


CONTENTS 

I.  EST  EARLIEST  TIMES 

The  Creatiox  of  the  World 3 

The  Garden  of  Eden 7 

Cain  and  Abel 10 

The  Story  of  the  Flood 12 

1.  The  Building  of  the  Ark 12 

2.  The  Coming  of  the  Flood 13 

3.  The  Bow  iu  the  Cloud 15 

The  Story  of  Abraham 18 

1.  God  leads  him  to  a  Strange  Country 18 

2.  God  spares  Lot  for  Abraham's  Sake 20 

3.  The  Sacrifice  of  Isaac  ..........  24 

4.  Winning  a  Wife  for  Isaac 26 

The  Story  of  Joseph 34 

1.  The  Cruel  Brethren 34 

2.  Joseph  iu  Prison  in  Egypt 37 

3.  Pharaoh's  Dream          .         .         .         .• 41 

4.  Joseph  becomes  a  Ruler  in  Egypt 44 

6.  Joseph's  Brethren  come  to  Egypt         .......  46 

6.  The  Silver  Cup 50 

7.  Jacob  goes  down  into  Egypt 59 

8.  The  Israelites  in  Egypt 62 

9.  The  Death  of  Jacob 65 

The  Emigration  of  the  Israeutes 71 

1.  The  Israelites  in  Bondage 71 

2.  The  Child  in  the  Bulrushes 72 

3.  The  Burning  Bush 74 

4.  The  Sufferings  of  the  Children  of  Israel 80 

5.  The  Miracle  of  the  Rods 82 

vu 


CONTENTS 

6.  The  Plagues  of  Egypt 85 

7.  The  Flight  from  Egypt 100 

8.  The  Passage  across  the  Red  Sea 102 

9.  The  Journey  through  the  Wilderness 105 

10.  God  gives  the  Ten  Commandments 112 

11.  The  Worship  of  the  Golden  Calf 116 

12.  The  Building  of  the  Tabernacle 120 

13.  Balaam  blesses  the  Children  of  Israel 126 

14.  The  Death  of  Moses 133 

II.  THE   CHILDREN  OF  ISRAEL  IN   THE 

PROMISED  LAND 

The  Children  of  Israel  cross  over  Jordan 137 

The  Fall  of  Jericho 142 

The  Wile  of  the  Men  of  Gibeon 144 

The  Story  of  Gideon 147 

1.  The  Calling  of  Gideon 147 

2.  Gideon  routs  the  Midianites 148 

Jephthah's  Vow 154 

Samson,  the  Strong  Man 167 

1.  Samson's  Riddle 157 

2.  Samson's  Strange  Weapon 160 

3.  The  Secret  of  Samson's  Strength 161 

4.  The  Death  of  Samson 164 

Samuel,  the  Boy  whom  God  called 166 

1.  The  Birth  of  Samuel 166 

2.  God  speaks  to  Samuel 168 

III.  THE  CHILDREN"  OF  ISRAEL  UNDER 

THE  KINGS 

The  Story  of  David  the  Shepherd  Boy 173 

1.  Saul  disobeys  God  and  David  is  chosen  King 173 

2.  David  plays  on  the  Harp  before  Saul 177 

3.  David  kills  the  Giant  Goliath  of  Gath  .......  178 

4.  Saul's  Jealousy  and  Jonathan's  Affection 184 

viii 


CONTENTS 

5.  David's  Escape  from  Saul 186 

6.  The  Friendship  of  Jonathan 188 

7.  David  spares  the  Life  of  Saul 193 

8.  The  Battle  of  Gilboa 196 

9.  A  Psalm  of  David 199 

10.  The  Story  of  the  Little  Ewe  Lamb 199 

11.  David's  Ungrateful  Son,  Absalom 202 

The  Story  of  King  Solomon 210 

1.  Solomon's  Choice 210 

2.  A  Wise  Judge 212 

3.  Solomon  builds  a  House  for  the  Lord 213 

4.  The  Queen  of  Sheba  visits  Solomon 218 

6.  Some  of  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon 219 

Elijah,  the  Prophet  of  God 223 

1.  Elijah  and  the  Priests  of  Baal 223 

2.  Elijah  in  the  Desert 228 

3.  Elijah  raises  the  Widow's  Son 231 

4.  Naboth's  Vineyard 233 

5.  Elijah  ascends  to  Heaven 237 

Elisha,  the  Successor  of  Elijah 240 

1.  Elisha  pays  a  Poor  Woman's  Debt 240 

2.  The  Shunammite's  Son 241 

3.  The  Cure  of  Naaman  the  Leper  .         .         .         .         .        .         .         .  244 

4.  Elisha  helps  a  Poor  Workman     . 248 

ly.   THE   ISRAELITES  TN  EXILE 

Esther,  the  Saviour  of  her  People 251 

1.  Esther  becomes  a  Queen 251 

2.  Haman's  Plot  against  the  Jews 252 

Daniel,  the  Fearless 267 

1.  The  King's  Dream 267 

2.  The  Fiery  Furnace 274 

3.  The  King's  Second  Dream 278 

4.  Belshazzar's  Feast 283 

5.  Daniel  in  the  Den  of  Lions 287 

Jonah,  whom  God  taught  to  be  Merciful 291 


IX 


ILLUSTEATIOKS 

David  and  Goliath  (Page  183) Frontispiece 

From  a  drawing  by  Arthur  I.  Keller. 

Reproduced  by  courtesy  of  The  Frank  A.  Munsey  Co. 

Noah  leaving  the  Ark 16 

From  a  painting  by  Gustave  Brion. 

Abraham  and  Isaac  hear  the  Angel's  Voice  .        .        .        .        .        .26 

After  the  painting  by  Jan  Livensz. 

Joseph  making  himself  known  to  his  Brethren 56 

After  the  drawing  by  Gustave  Dore. 

Moses  coming  down  from  Mount  Sinai 114 

After  the  drawing  by  Gustave  Dore. 

Samson  rending  the  Lion 158 

After  the  drawing  by  L.  J.  F.  Bonnat. 

The  Judgment  of  Solomon 212 

After  the  drawing  by  Gustave  Dore. 

Elisha  restoring  to  Life  the  Shunammite's  Son 244 

From  the  painting  by  Sir  Frederic  Leighton, 

Daniel  in  the  Den  of  Lions 288 

From  the  painting  by  Briton  Riviere. 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 


AN  OLD,  OLD  STOEY  BOOK 


I.  IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

THE  CEEATION  OF   THE  WORLD 

In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heayen  and  the  earth.  And 

the  earth  was  without  form,  an(J  Void;  and  darkness  was 

upon  the  face  of  the  deep.  And,  tBe  :SpiHt^6]['".^'od  moved 

upon  the  face  of  the  waters. 

And  God  said,  "Let  there  be  light":  and  there  was  hght. 

And  God  saw  the  Hght,  that  it  was  good :  and  God  divided  the 
hght  from  the  darkness.  And  God  called  the  light  Day,  and 
the  darkness  he  called  Night.  And  the  evening  and  the  morn- 
ing were  the  first  day. 

And  God  said,  "  Let  there  be  a  firmament  in  the  midst  of 
the  waters,  and  let  it  divide  the  waters  from  the  waters." 
And  God  made  the  firmament,  and  divided  the  waters  which 
were  under  the  firmament  from  the  waters  which  were  above 
the  firmament :  and  it  was  so.  And  God  called  the  firmament 
Heaven.  And  the  evening  and  the  morning  were  the  second 
day. 

And  God  said,  "Let  the  waters  under  the  heaven  be  gath- 
ered together  unto  one  place,  and  let  the  dry  land  appear"; 

3 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

and  it  was  so.  And  God  called  the  dry  land  Earth;  and  the 
gathering  together  of  the  waters  called  he  Seas:  and  God 
saw  that  it  was  good.  And  God  said,  "  Let  the  earth  bring 
forth  grass,  the  herb  yielding  seed,  and  the  fruit  tree  yield- 
ing fruit  after  his  kind,  whose  seed  is  in  itself,  upon  the  earth  " : 
and  it  was  so.  And  the  earth  brought  forth  grass,  and  herb 
yielding  seed  after  his  kind,  and  the  tree  yielding  fruit,  whose 
seed  was  in  itself,  after  his  kind :  and  God  saw  that  it  was 
good.   And  the  evening  and  the  morning  were  the  third  day. 

And  God  said,  "  Lsc  chere  be  lights  in  the  firmament  of 
the  heaven  to  di^'ide  the  day  from  the  night;  and  let  them 
be  for  signs,  and  for  seasons,  and  for  days,  and  years :  and 
let  them  be  for  lights  in  the  firmament  of  the  heaven  to  give 
light  upon  the  earth  " :  and  it  was  so.  And  God  made  two 
great  lights ;  the  greater  light  to  rule  the  day,  and  the  lesser 
light  to  rule  the  night:  he  made  the  stars  also.  And  God  set 
them  in  the  firmament  of  the  heaven  to  give  light  upon  the 
earth,  and  to  rule  over  the  day  and  over  the  night,  and  to 
divide  the  light  from  the  darkness :  and  God  saw  that  it  was 
good.  And  the  evening  and  the  morning  were  the  fourth  day. 

And  God  said,  "Let  the  waters  bring  forth  abundantly 
the  moving  creature  that  hath  life,  and  fowl  that  may  fly 
above  the  earth  in  the  open  firmament  of  heaven."  And 
God  created  great  whales,  and  every  living  creature  that 
moveth,  which  the  waters  brought  forth  abundantly,  after 
their  kind,  and  every  winged  fowl  after  his  kind :  and  God 

4 


THE  CREATION  OF  THE  WORLD 

saw  that  it  was  good.  And  God  blessed  them,  saying,  "  Be 
fruitful,  and  multiply,  and  fill  the  waters  in  the  seas,  and  let 
fowl  multiply  in  the  earth."  And  the  evening  and  the  morn- 
ing were  the  fifth  day. 

And  God  said,  "  Let  the  earth  bring  forth  the  living  crea- 
ture after  his  kind,  cattle,  and  creeping  thing,  and  beast  of 
the  earth  after  his  kind " :  and  it  was  so.  And  God  made  the 
beast  of  the  earth  after  his  kind,  and  cattle  after  their  kind, 
and  every  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth  after  his  kind: 
and  God  saw  that  it  was  good.  And  God  said,  "  Let  us  make 
man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness:  and  let  them  have  do- 
minion over  the  fish  of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  of  the  air, 
and  over  the  cattle,  and  over  all  the  earth,  and  over  every 
creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth."  So  God  created 
man  in  his  own  image,  in  the  image  of  God  created  he  him ; 
male  and  female  created  he  them.  And  God  blessed  them, 
and  God  said  unto  them,  "  Be  fruitful,  and  multiply,  and  re- 
plenish the  earth,  and  subdue  it:  and  have  dominion  over  the 
fish  of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and  over  every 
living  thing  that  moveth  upon  the  earth."  And  God  said, 
"Behold,  I  have  given  you  every  herb  bearing  seed,  which 
is  upon  the  face  of  all  the  earth,  and  every  tree,  in  the 
which  is  the  fruit  of  a  tree  yielding  seed;  to  you  it  shall  be 
for  meat.  And  to  every  beast  of  the  earth,  and  to  every  fowl 
of  the  air,  and  to  every  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth, 
wherein  there  is  life,  I  have  given  every  green  herb  for 

6 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

meat ":  and  it  was  so.  And  God  saw  every  thing  that  he  had 
made,  and,  behold,  it  was  very  good.  And  the  evening  and 
the  morning  were  the  sixth  day. 

Thus  the  heavens  and  the  earth  were  finished,  and  all  the 
host  of  them.  And  on  the  seventh  day  God  ended  his  work 
which  he  had  made;  and  he  rested  on  the  seventh  day  from 
all  his  work  which  he  had  made.  And  God  blessed  the 
seventh  day,  and  sanctified  it :  because  that  in  it  he  had  rested 
from  all  his  work  which  God  created  and  made. 


THE  garde:n^  of  ede:n' 

AxD  the  Lord  God  planted  a  garden  eastward  in  Eden  ; 
and  there  he  put  the  man  whom  he  had  formed.  And  out  of 
the  ground  made  the  Lord  God  to  grow  every  tree  that  is 
pleasant  to  the  sight,  and  good  for  food ;  the  tree  of  life  also 
in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  and  the  tree  of  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil.  And  a  river  went  out  of  Eden  to  water  the 
garden ;  and  from  thence  it  was  parted,  and  became  into  four 
heads.  The  name  of  the  first  is  Pison :  that  is  it  which  com- 
passeth  the  w^hole  land  of  Havilah,  where  there  is  gold;  and 
the  gold  of  that  land  is  good :  there  is  bdellium  and  the  onyx 
stone.  And  the  name  of  the  second  river  is  Gihon :  the  same 
is  it  that  compasseth  the  whole  land  of  Ethiopia.  And  the 
name  of  the  third  river  is  Hiddekel:  that  is  it  which  goeth 
toward  the  east  of  Assyria.  And  the  fourth  river  is  Eu- 
phrates. And  the  Lord  God  took  the  man,  and  put  him  into 
the  garden  of  Eden  to  dress  it  and  to  keep  it.  And  the  Lord 
God  commanded  the  man,  saying: 

"  Of  every  tree  of  the  garden  thou  mayest  freely  eat :  but 
of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  thou  shalt  not 
eat  of  it :  for  in  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt 
surely  die." 

Now  the  serpent  was  more  subtil  than  any  beast  of  the 

7 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

field  which  the  Lord  God  had  made.  And  he  said  unto  the 
woman : 

"  Yea,  hath  God  said,  Ye  shall  not  eat  of  every  tree  of 
the  garden  V  "  And  the  woman  said  unto  the  serpent : 

"  We  may  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  trees  of  the  garden :  but 
of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  garden, 
God  hath  said, '  Ye  shall  not  eat  of  it,  neither  shall  ye  touch 
it,  lest  ye  die.'"  And  the  serpent  said  unto  the  woman: 

"  Ye  shall  not  surely  die;  for  God  doth  Imow  that  in  the 
day  ye  eat  thereof,  then  your  eyes  shall  be  opened,  and  ye 
shall  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  evil." 

And  when  the  woman  saw  that  the  tree  was  good  for  food, 
and  that  it  was  pleasant  to  the  eyes,  and  a  tree  to  be  desired 
to  make  one  wise,  she  took  of  the  fruit  thereof,  and  did  eat, 
and  gave  also  unto  her  husband  with  her;  and  he  did  eat. 

And  they  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God  walking  in  the 
garden  in  the  cool  of  the  day :  and  Adam  and  his  wife  hid 
themselves  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  God  amongst  the 
trees  of  the  garden.  And  the  Lord  God  called  unto  Adam, 
and  said  unto  him: 

"Where  art  thou?"  And  he  said: 

"  I  heard  thy  voice  in  the  garden,  and  I  was  afraid,  and  I 
hid  myself."  And  he  said : 

"  Hast  thou  eaten  of  the  tree,  whereof  I  commanded  thee 
that  thou  shouldest  not  eat  ?  "  And  the  man  said : 

"  The  woman  whom  thou  gavest  to  be  with  me,  she  gave 

8 


THE  GARDEN  OF  EDEN 

me  of  the  tree,  and  I  did  eat."  And  the  Lord  God  said  unto 
the  woman: 

"  What  is  this  that  thou  hast  done? "  And  the  woman  said : 

"  The  serpent  beguiled  me,  and  I  did  eat."  And  the  Lord 
God  said  unto  the  serpent: 

"  Because  thou  hast  done  this,  thou  art  cursed  above  all 
cattle,  and  above  every  beast  of  the  field;  upon  thy  belly  shalt 
thou  go,  and  dust  shalt  thou  eat  all  the  days  of  thy  life :  and 
I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between 
thy  seed  and  her  seed ;  it  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and  thou  shalt 
bruise  his  heel."  Unto  the  woman  he  said: 

"  I  will  greatly  multiply  thy  sorrow ;  in  sorrow  thou  shalt 
bring  forth  children;  and  thy  desire  shall  be  to  thy  husband, 
and  he  shall  rule  over  thee."  And  unto  Adam  he  said: 

"  Because  thou  hast  hearkened  unto  the  voice  of  thy  wife, 
and  hast  eaten  of  the  tree,  of  which  I  commanded  thee,  say- 
ing, '  Thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it ' :  cursed  is  the  ground  for  thy 
sake ;  in  sorrow  shalt  thou  eat  of  it  all  the  days  of  thy  life ; 
thorns  also  and  thistles  shall  it  bring  forth  to  thee ;  and  thou 
shalt  eat  the  herb  of  the  field;  in  the  sweat  of  thy  face  shalt 
thou  eat  bread,  till  thou  return  unto  the  ground;  for  out  of 
it  wast  thou  taken :  for  dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt 
thou  return." 

So  he  drove  out  the  man;  and  he  placed  at  the  east  of 
the  garden  of  Eden  Cherubims,  and  a  flaming  sword  which 
turned  every  way,  to  keep  the  way  of  the  tree  of  life. 


CAIN  ANT>  ABEL 

Abel  was  a  keeper  of  sheep,  but  Cain  was  a  tiller  of  the 
ground.  And  in  process  of  time  it  came  to  pass,  that  Cain 
brought  of  the  fruit  of  the  ground  an  offering  unto  the  Lord. 
And  Abel,  he  also  brought  of  the  firstlings  of  his  flock  and 
of  the  fat  thereof.  And  the  Lord  had  respect  unto  Abel 
and  to  his  offering:  but  unto  Cain  and  to  his  offering  he  had 
not  respect.  And  Cain  was  very  wroth,  and  his  countenance 
fell.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Cain : 

"Why  art  thou  wroth?  and  why  is  thy  countenance  fallen? 
If  thou  doest  well,  shalt  thou  not  be  accepted?  and  if  thou 
doest  not  well,  sin  lieth  at  the  door.  And  unto  thee  shall  be 
his  desire,  and  thou  shalt  rule  over  him." 

And  Cain  talked  with  Abel  his  brother:  and  it  came  to 
pass,  when  they  were  in  the  field,  that  Cain  rose  up  against 
Abel  his  brother,  and  slew  him.  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Cain : 

"  Where  is  Abel  thy  brother?"  And  he  said: 

"I  know  not:  am  I  my  brother's  keeper  ?"  And  he  said: 

"  What  hast  thou  done  ?  the  voice  of  thy  brother's  blood 

crieth  unto  me  from  the  ground.  And  now  art  thou  cursed 

from  the  earth,  which  hath  opened  her  mouth  to  receive  thy 

brother's  blood  from  thy  hand.  When  thou  tillest  the  ground, 

10 


CAIN  AND  ABEL 

it  shall  not  henceforth  yield  unto  thee  her  strength ;  a  fugitive 
and  a  vagabond  shalt  thou  be  in  the  earth."  And  Cain  said 
unto  the  Lord: 

"  My  punishment  is  greater  than  I  can  bear.  Behold,  thou 
hast  driven  me  out  this  day  from  the  face  of  the  earth ;  and 
from  thy  face  shall  I  be  hid;  and  I  shall  be  a  fugitive  and  a 
vagabond  in  the  earth ;  and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  every 
one  that  findeth  me  shall  slay  me."  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
him: 

"  Therefore  whosoever  slayeth  Cain,  vengeance  shall  be 
taken  on  him  sevenfold."  And  the  Lord  set  a  mark  upon 
Cain,  lest  any  finding  him  should  kill  him. 

And  Cain  went  out  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and 
dwelt  in  the  land  of  Nod,  on  the  east  of  Eden. 


THE   STORY  OF   THE   FLOOD 

1.    THE  BUILDING  OF  THE  ARK 

And  God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in  the 
earth,  and  that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart 
was  only  evil  continually.  And  it  repented  the  Lord  that  he 
had  made  man  on  the  earth,  and  it  grieved  him  at  his  heart. 
And  the  Lord  said: 

"  I  will  destroy  man  whom  I  have  created  from  the  face  of 
the  earth ;  both  man,  and  beast,  and  the  creeping  thing,  and  the 
fowls  of  the  air;  for  it  repenteth  me  that  I  have  made  them." 

But  Noah  found  grace  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  and  God 
said  unto  Noah : 

"The  end  of  all  flesh  is  come  before  me;  for  the  earth  is 
filled  with  violence  through  them ;  and,  behold,  I  will  destroy 
them  with  the  earth.  Make  thee  an  ark  of  gopher  wood; 
rooms  shalt  thou  make  in  the  ark,  and  shalt  pitch  it  within 
and  without  with  pitch.  And  this  is  the  fashion  which  thou 
shalt  make  it  of :  the  length  of  the  ark  shall  be  three  hmidred 
cubits,  the  breadth  of  it  fifty  cubits,  and  the  height  of  it 
thirty  cubits.  A  window  shalt  thou  make  to  the  ark,  and  in 
a  cubit  shalt  thou  finish  it  above ;  and  the  door  of  the  ark 
shalt  thou  set  in  the  side  thereof;  with  lower,  second,  and 
third  stories  shalt  thou  make  it.  And,  behold,  I,  even  I,  do 

12 


THE  STORY  OF  THE  FLOOD 

bring  a  flood  of  waters  upon  the  earth,  to  destroy  all  flesh, 
wherein  is  the  breath  of  life,  from  under  heaven;  and  every 
thing  that  is  in  the  earth  shall  die.  But  with  thee  will  I  es- 
tablish my  covenant;  and  thou  shalt  come  into  the  ark,  thou, 
and  thy  sons,  and  thy  wife,  and  thy  sons'  wives  with  thee. 
And  of  every  living  thing  of  all  flesh,  two  of  every  sort  shalt 
thou  bring  into  the  ark,  to  keep  them  alive  with  thee ;  they 
shall  be  male  and  female.  Of  fowls  after  their  kind,  and  of 
cattle  after  their  kind,  of  every  creeping  thing  of  the 
earth  after  his  kind,  two  of  every  sort  shall  come  unto  thee, 
to  keep  them  alive.  And  take  thou  unto  thee  of  all  food  that 
is  eaten,  and  thou  shalt  gather  it  to  thee ;  and  it  shall  be  for 
food  for  thee,  and  for  them."  Thus  did  Noah;  according  to 
all  that  God  commanded  him,  so  did  he. 

2.    THE  COMING  OF  THE  FLOOD 

And  the  Lord  said  unto  N^oah : 

"  Come  thou  and  all  thy  house  into  the  ark ;  for  thee  have 
I  seen  righteous  before  me  in  this  generation." 

In  the  six  hundredth  year  of  Noah's  life,  in  the  second 
month,  the  seventeenth  day  of  the  month,  the  same  day  were 
all  the  fomitains  of  the  great  deep  broken  up,  and  the  win- 
dows of  heaven  were  opened,  and  the  rain  was  upon  the  earth 
forty  days  and  forty  nights.  In  the  selfsame  day  entered 
Noah,  and  Shem,  and  Ham,  and  Japheth,  the  sons  of  Noah, 

13 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

and  Noah's  wife,  and  the  three  wives  of  his  sons  with  them, 
into  the  ark;  they,  and  every  beast  after  his  kind,  and  all  the 
cattle  after  their  kind,  and  every  creeping  thing  that  creep- 
eth  upon  the  earth  after  his  kind,  and  every  fowl  after  his 
kind,  every  bird  of  every  sort;  and  they  went  in  unto  Noah 
into  the  ark,  two  and  two  of  all  flesh,  wherein  is  the  breath  of 
life.  And  they  that  went  in,  went  in  male  and  female  of  all 
flesh,  as  God  had  commanded  him :  and  the  Lord  shut  him  in. 
And  the  flood  was  forty  days  upon  the  earth;  and  the 
waters  increased,  and  bare  up  the  ark,  and  it  was  lift  up 
above  the  earth.  And  the  waters  prevailed,  and  were  in- 
creased greatly  upon  the  earth ;  and  the  ark  went  upon  the 
face  of  the  waters.  And  the  waters  prevailed  exceedingly 
upon  the  earth;  and  all  the  high  hills,  that  were  under  the 
whole  heaven,  were  covered.  Fifteen  cubits  upward  did  the 
waters  prevail;  and  the  mountains  were  covered.  And  all 
flesh  died  that  moved  upon  the  earth,  both  of  fowl,  and  of 
cattle,  and  of  beast,  and  of  every  creeping  thing  that  creep- 
eth  upon  the  earth,  and  every  man :  all  in  whose  nostrils  was 
the  breath  of  life,  of  all  that  was  in  the  dry  land,  died.  And 
every  living  substance  was  destroyed  which  was  upon  the 
face  of  the  ground,  both  man,  and  cattle,  and  the  creeping 
things,  and  the  fowl  of  the  heaven ;  and  they  were  destroyed 
from  the  earth :  and  ISToah  only  remained  alive,  and  they  that 
were  with  him  in  the  ark.  And  the  waters  prevailed  upon 
the  earth  an  hundred  and  fifty  days. 

14 


THE  STORY   OF  THE  FLOOD 

3.    THE  BOW  IN  THE  CLOUD 

And  God  remembered  Noah,  and  every  living  thing,  and 
all  the  cattle  that  was  with  him  in  the  ark:  and  God  made  a 
wind  to  pass  over  the  earth,  and  the  waters  asswaged.  The 
fountains  also  of  the  deep  and  the  windows  of  heaven  were 
stopped,  and  the  rain  from  heaven  was  restrained.  And  the 
waters  returned  from  off  the  earth  continually :  and  after  the 
end  of  the  hundred  and  fifty  days  the  waters  were  abated. 
And  the  ark  rested  in  the  seventh  month,  on  the  seventeenth 
day  of  the  month,  upon  the  mountains  of  Ararat.  And  the 
waters  decreased  continually  until  the  tenth  month:  in  the 
tenth  month,  on  the  first  day  of  the  month,  were  the  tops  of 
the  mountains  seen. 

And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  end  of  forty  days,  that  IS^oah 
opened  the  window  of  the  ark  which  he  had  made:  and  he 
sent  forth  a  raven,  which  Avent  forth  to  and  fro,  until  the 
waters  were  dried  up  from  off  the  earth.  Also  he  sent  forth 
a  dove  from  him,  to  see  if  the  waters  were  abated  from  off 
the  face  of  the  ground;  but  the  dove  found  no  rest  for  the 
sole  of  her  foot,  and  she  returned  unto  him  into  the  ark,  for 
the  waters  were  on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth.  Then  he  put 
forth  his  hand,  and  took  her,  and  pulled  her  in  unto  him  into 
the  ark.  And  he  stayed  yet  other  seven  days;  and  again  he 
sent  forth  the  dove  out  of  the  ark.  And  the  dove  came  in 
to  him  in  the  evening;  and,  lo,  in  her  mouth  was  an  olive  leaf 

15 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

pliTckt  off :  so  Noah  knew  that  the  waters  were  abated  from 
off  the  earth.  And  he  stayed  yet  other  seven  days;  and  sent 
forth  the  dove;  which  returned  not  again  unto  him  any  more. 
And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  six  hundredth  and  first  year,  in  the 
first  month,  the  first  day  of  the  month,  the  waters  were  dried 
up  from  off  the  earth:  and  Noah  removed  the  covering  of  the 
ark,  and  looked,  and,  behold,  the  face  of  the  ground  was  dry. 
And  in  the  second  month,  on  the  seven  and  twentieth  day  of 
the  month,  was  the  earth  dried.  Aaid  God  spake  unto  Noah, 
saying: 

"  Go  forth  of  the  ark,  thou,  and  thy  wife,  and  thy  sons, 
and  thy  sons'  wives  with  thee.  Bring  forth  with  thee  every 
living  thing  that  is  with  thee,  of  all  flesh,  both  of  fowl,  and  of 
cattle,  and  of  every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the 
earth ;  that  they  may  breed  abundantly  in  the  earth,  and  be 
fruitful,  and  multiply  upon  the  earth."  And  Noah  went  forth, 
and  his  sons,  and  his  wife,  and  his  sons'  wives  with  him: 
every  beast,  every  creeping  thing,  and  every  fowl,  and  what- 
soever creepeth  upon  the  earth,  after  their  kinds,  went  forth 
out  of  the  ark.  And  God  spake  unto  Noah,  and  to  his  sons 
with  him,  saying: 

"  And  I,  behold,  I  establish  my  covenant  with  you,  and 
with  your  seed  after  you;  and  with  every  living  creature  that 
is  with  you,  of  the  fowl,  of  the  cattle,  and  of  every  beast  of 
the  earth  with  you ;  from  all  that  go  out  of  the  ark,  to  every 
beast  of  the  earth.  And  I  will  establish  my  covenant  with 

16 


)4 

X 
H 

I— I 


THE  STORY   OF  THE  FLOOD 

you;  neither  shall  all  flesh  be  cut  off  any  more  by  the  waters 
of  a  flood ;  neither  shall  there  any  more  be  a  flood  to  destroy 
the  earth."    And  God  said : 

"  This  is  the  token  of  the  covenant  which  I  make  between 
me  and  you  and  every  living  creature  that  is  with  you,  for 
perpetual  generations :  I  do  set  my  bow  in  the  cloud,  and  it 
shall  be  for  a  token  of  a  covenant  between  me  and  the  earth. 
And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  I  bring  a  cloud  over  the 
earth,  that  the  bow  shall  be  seen  in  the  cloud:  and  I  will  re- 
member my  covenant,  which  is  between  me  and  you  and 
every  living  creature  of  all  flesh;  and  the  waters  shall  no 
more  become  a  flood  to  destroy  all  flesh.  And  the  bow  shall 
be  in  the  cloud ;  and  I  will  look  upon  it,  that  I  may  remem- 
ber the  everlasting  covenant  between  God  and  every  living 
creature  of  all  flesh  that  is  upon  the  earth." 


THE  STORY  OF  ABRAHAM 

1.  GOD  LEADS  HIM  TO  A  STRANGE  COUNTRY 

"Now  the  Lord  had  said  unto  Abram : 

"  Get  thee  out  of  thy  country,  and  from  thy  kindred,  and 
from  thy  father's  house,  unto  a  land  that  I  will  shew  thee: 
and  I  will  make  of  thee  a  great  nation,  and  I  will  bless  thee, 
and  make  thy  name  great;  and  thou  shalt  be  a  blessing;  and 
I  will  bless  them  that  bless  thee,  and  curse  him  that  curseth 
thee;  and  in  thee  shall  all  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed." 

So  Abram  departed,  as  the  Lord  had  spoken  unto  him ;  and 
Lot  went  with  him.  And  Abram  was  seventy  and  five  years 
old  when  he  departed  out  of  Haran.  And  Abram  took  Sarai 
his  wife,  and  Lot  his  brother's  son,  and  all  their  substance 
that  they  had  gathered,  and  the  souls  that  they  had  gotten 
in  Haran;  and  they  went  forth  to  go  into  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan; and  into  the  land  of  Canaan  they  came.  And  Abram 
passed  through  the  land  unto  the  place  of  Sichem,  unto  the 
plain  of  Moreh.  And  the  Canaanite  was  then  in  the  land. 
And  the  Lord  appeared  unto  Abram,  and  said :  "  Unto  thy 
seed  will  I  give  this  land";  and  there  builded  he  an  altar 
unto  the  Lord,  who  appeared  unto  him.  And  he  removed 
from  thence  unto  a  mountain  on  the  east  of  Beth-el,  and 
pitched  his  tent,  having  Beth-el  on  the  west,  and  Hai  on  the 

18 


THE  STORY   OF   ABRAHAM 

east :  and  there  he  builded  an  altar  unto  the  Lord,  and  called 
upon  the  name  of  the  Lord.  And  Abram  journeyed,  going 
on  still  toward  the  south. 

And  Abram  was  very  rich  in  cattle,  in  silver,  and  in  gold. 
And  he  went  on  his  journeys  even  to  Beth-el,  unto  the  place 
where  his  tent  had  been  at  the  beginning,  between  Beth-el 
and  Hai;  unto  the  place  of  the  altar,  which  he  had  made 
there  at  the  first;  and  there  Abram  called  on  the  name  of 
the  Lord. 

And  Lot  also,  which  went  with  Abram,  had  flocks,  and 
herds,  and  tents.  And  the  land  was  not  able  to  bear  them, 
that  they  might  dwell  together;  for  their  substance  was 
great,  so  that  they  could  not  dwell  together.  And  there  was 
a  strife  between  the  herdmen  of  Abram's  cattle  and  the  herd- 
men  of  Lot's  cattle;  and  the  Canaanite  and  the  Perizzite 
dwelled  then  in  the  land.  And  Abram  said  unto  Lot : 

"  Let  there  be  no  strife,  I  pray  thee,  between  me  and  thee, 
and  between  my  herdmen  and  thy  herdmen ;  for  we  be  breth- 
ren. Is  not  the  whole  land  before  thee  ?  separate  thyself,  I 
pray  thee,  from  me:  if  thou  wilt  take  the  left  hand,  then 
I  will  go  to  the  right;  or  if  thou  depart  to  the  right  hand, 
then  I  will  go  to  the  left." 

And  Lot  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  beheld  all  the  plain  of  Jor- 
dan, that  it  was  well  watered  every  where,  before  the  Lord 
destroyed  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  even  as  the  garden  of  the 
Lord,  like  the  land  of  Egypt,  as  thou  comest  unto  Zoar. 

19 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

Then  Lot  chose  him  all  the  plain  of  Jordan;  and  Lot  jour- 
neyed east;  and  they  separated  themselves  the  one  from  the 
other.  Abram  dwelled  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  Lot  dwelled 
in  the  cities  of  the  plain,  and  pitched  his  tent  toward  Sodom. 
But  the  men  of  Sodom  were  wicked  and  sinners  before  the 
Lord  exceedingly.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Abram,  after 
that  Lot  was  separated  from  him : 

"  Lift  up  now  thine  eyes,  and  look  from  the  place  where 
thou  art  northward,  and  southward,  and  eastward,  and  west- 
ward: for  all  the  land  which  thou  seest,  to  thee  will  I  give 
it,  and  to  thy  seed  forever.  And  I  will  make  thy  seed  as  the 
dust  of  the  earth;  so  that  if  a  man  can  number  the  dust  of 
the  earth,  then  shall  thy  seed  also  be  numbered.  Arise,  walk 
through  the  land  in  the  length  of  it  and  in  the  breadth  of  it; 
for  I  will  give  it  unto  thee." 

Then  Abram  removed  his  tent,  and  came  and  dwelt  in  the 
plain  of  Mamre,  which  is  in  Hebron,  and  built  there  an  altar 
unto  the  Lord. 


2.  GOD  SPARES  LOT  FOR  ABRAHAM'S  SAKE 

The  men  of  Sodom  were  wicked  and  sinners  before  the 
Lord  exceedingly.  And  the  Lord  said : 

"  Because  the  cry  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  is  great,  and 
because  their  sin  is  very  grievous ;  I  will  go  down  now,  and 
see  whether  they  have  done  altogether  according  to  the  cry 

20 


THE   STORY   OF  ABRAHAM 

of  it,  which  is  come  unto  me ;  and  if  not,  I  will  know."  And 
Abram  [whom  God  now  called  Abraham,  or  "  the  father  of 
many  nations  "]  drew  near,  and  said : 

"  TV'ilt  thou  also  destroy  the  righteous  with  the  wicked  ? 
Peradventure  there  be  fifty  righteous  within  the  city  :  wilt 
thou  also  destroy  and  not  spare  the  place  for  the  fifty  right- 
eous that  are  therein  ?  That  be  far  from  thee  to  do  after  this 
manner,  to  slay  the  righteous  with  the  wicked  :  and  that  the 
righteous  should  be  as  the  wicked,  that  be  far  from  thee: 
shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right?"  And  the 
Lord  said: 

"  If  I  find  in  Sodom  fifty  righteous  within  the  city,  then 
I  will  spare  all  the  place  for  their  sakes."  And  Abraham 
answered  and  said: 

"  Behold  now,  I  have  taken  upon  me  to  speak  unto  the 
Lord,  which  am  but  dust  and  ashes.  Peradventure  there 
shall  lack  five  of  the  fifty  righteous :  wilt  thou  destroy  all 
the  city  for  lack  of  five?"  And  he  said: 

"  If  I  find  there  forty  and  five,  I  will  not  destroy  it."  And 
he  spake  unto  him  yet  again,  and  said: 

"  Peradventure  there  shall  be  forty  found  there."  And  he 
said: 

"  I  will  not  do  it  for  forty's  sake."  And  he  said  unto  him : 

"  Oh  let  not  the  Lord  be  angry,  and  I  will  speak :  perad- 
venture there  shall  thirty  be  found  there."  And  he  said : 

"I  will  not  do  it,  if  I  find  thirty  there."  And  he  said: 

21 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

"  Behold  now,  I  have  taken  upon  me  to  speak  unto  the 
Lord:  j^eradventure  there  shall  be  twenty  found  there,"  And 
he  said: 

"  I  will  not  destroy  it  for  twenty's  sake."  And  he  said: 

"  Oh  let  not  the  Lord  be  angry,  and  I  will  speak  yet  but 
this  once :  peradventure  ten  shall  be  found  there."  And  he 
said: 

"  I  will  not  destroy  it  for  ten's  sake." 

And  the  Lord  went  his  way,  as  soon  as  he  had  left  com- 
muning with  Abraham:  and  Abraham  returned  unto  his 
place. 

And  there  came  two  angels  to  Sodom  at  even;  and  Lot 
sat  in  the  gate  of  Sodom :  and  Lot  seeing  them  rose  up  to 
meet  them;  and  he  bowed  himself  with  his  face  toward  the 
ground;  and  he  said: 

"  Behold  now,  my  lords,  turn  in,  I  pray  you,  into  your 
servant's  house,  and  tarry  all  night,  and  wash  your  feet,  and 
ye  shall  rise  up  early,  and  go  on  your  ways."  And  they  said: 

"Nay;  but  we  will  abide  in  the  street  all  night." 

And  he  pressed  upon  them  greatly;  and  they  turned  in 
unto  him,  and  entered  into  his  house;  and  he  made  them 
a  feast,  and  did  bake  unleavened  bread,  and  they  did  eat. 
And  the  men  said  unto  Lot: 

"Hast  thou  here  any  besides?  son  in  law,  and  thy  sons, 
and  thy  daughters,  and  whatsoever  thou  hast  in  the  city, 
bring  them  out  of  this  place :  for  we  will  destroy  this  place, 

22 


THE  STORY   OF  ABRAHAM       ' 

because  the  cry  of  them  is  waxen  great  before  the  face  of 
the  Lord ;  and  the  Lord  hath  sent  us  to  destroy  it." 

And  Lot  went  out,  and  spake  unto  his  sons  in  law,  which 
married  his  daughters,  and  said: 

"Up,  get  you  out  of  this  place;  for  the  Lord  will  destroy 
this  city."  But  he  seemed  as  one  that  mocked  unto  his  sons 
in  law. 

And  when  the  morning  arose,  then  the  angels  hastened 
Lot,  saying: 

"Arise,  take  thy  wife,  and  thy  two  daughters,  which  are 
here ;  lest  thou  be  consumed  in  the  iniquity  of  the  city."  And 
while  he  lingered,  the  men  laid  hold  upon  his  hand,  and  upon 
the  hand  of  his  wife,  and  upon  the  hand  of  his  two  daugh- 
ters; the  Lord  being  merciful  unto  him:  and  they  brought 
him  forth,  and  set  him  without  the  city. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  they  had  brought  them  forth 
abroad,  that  he  said: 

"  Escape  for  thy  life ;  look  not  behind  thee,  neither  stay 
thou  in  all  the  plain;  escape  to  the  mountain,  lest  thou  be 
consumed." 

Then  the  Lord  rained  upon  Sodom  and  upon  Gomorrah 
brimstone  and  fire  from  the  Lord  out  of  heaven;  and  he 
overthrew  those  cities,  and  all  the  plain,  and  all  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  cities,  and  that  which  grew  upon  the  ground.  But 
[Lot's]  wife  looked  back  from  behind  him,  and  she  became 
a  pillar  of  salt. 

23 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 


3.    THE  SACRIFICE  OF  ISAAC 


And  Abraham  called  the  name  of  his  son  that  was  born 
mito  him,  whom  Sarah  bare  to  him,  Isaac.  And  it  came 
to  pass  that  God  did  tempt  Abraham,  and  said  unto 
him: 

"Abraham";  and  he  said: 

"  Behold,  here  I  am  ";  and  he  said: 

"  Take  now  thy  son,  thine  only  son  Isaac,  whom  thou 
lovest,  and  get  thee  into  the  land  of  Moriah;  and  offer  him 
there  for  a  burnt  offering  upon  one  of  the  mountains  which 
I  will  tell  thee  of."  And  Abraham  rose  up  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  saddled  his  ass,  and  took  two  of  his  young  men  with 
him,  and  Isaac  his  son,  and  clave  the  wood  for  the  burnt 
offering,  and  rose  up,  and  went  unto  the  place  of  which  God 
had  told  him.  Then  on  the  third  day  Abraham  lifted  up  his 
eyes,  and  saw  the  place  afar  off.  And  Abraham  said  unto 
his  young  men: 

"Abide  ye  here  with  the  ass;  and  I  and  the  lad  will  go 
yonder  and  worship,  and  come  again  to  you."  And  Abraham 
took  the  wood  of  the  burnt  offering,  and  laid  it  upon  Isaac 
his  son;  and  he  took  the  fire  in  his  hand,  and  a  knife;  and 
they  went  both  of  them  together.  And  Isaac  spake  unto 
Abraham  his  father,  and  said: 

"My  father":  and  he  said: 

"  Here  am  I,  my  son."  And  he  said: 

24 


THE  STORY  OF  ABRAHAM 

"  Behold  the  fire  and  the  wood,  but  where  is  the  lamb  for  a 
burnt  offering?  "  And  Abraham  said : 

"My  son,  God  will  provide  himself  a  lamb  for  a  burnt 
offering  " ;  so  they  went  both  of  them  together.  And  they 
came  to  the  place  which  God  had  told  him  of;  and  Abraham 
built  an  altar  there,  and  laid  the  wood  in  order,  and  bound 
Isaac  his  son,  and  laid  him  on  the  altar  upon  the  wood.  And 
Abraham  stretched  forth  his  hand,  and  took  the  knife  to  slay 
his  son.  And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  called  unto  him  out  of 
heaven,  and  said: 

"Abraham,  Abraham":  and  he  said: 

"Here  am  I."   And  he  said: 

"  Lay  not  thine  hand  upon  the  lad,  neither  do  thou  any 
thing  unto  him ;  for  now  I  know  that  thou  f earest  God,  seeing 
thou  hast  not  withheld  thy  son,  thine  only  son  from  me." 
And  Abraham  hfted  up  his  eyes,  and  looked,  and  behold,  be- 
hind him  a  ram  caught  in  a  thicket  by  his  horns.  And  Abra- 
ham went  and  took  the  ram,  and  offered  him  up  for  a  burnt 
offering  in  the  stead  of  his  son.  And  Abraham  called  the 
name  of  that  place  Jehovah-jireh;  as  it  is  said  to  this  day, 
"  In  the  mount  of  the  Lord  it  shall  be  seen."  And  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  called  unto  Abraham  out  of  heaven  the  second 
time,  and  said: 

"By  myself  have  I  sworn,  saith  the  Lord,  for  because  thou 
hast  done  this  thing,  and  hast  not  withheld  thy  son,  thine  only 
son :  that  in  blessing  I  will  bless  thee,  and  in  multiplying  I 

25 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

will  multiply  thy  seed  as  the  stars  of  the  heaven,  and  as  the 
sand  which  is  upon  the  sea  shore ;  and  thy  seed  shall  possess 
the  gate  of  his  enemies;  and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  be  blessed ;  because  thou  hast  obeyed  my 
voice."  So  Abraham  returned  unto  his  young  men,  and  they 
rose  up  and  went  together  to  Beer-sheba;  and  Abraham 
dwelt  at  Beer-sheba. 


4.   WINNING  A  WIFE  FOR  ISAAC 

Abraham  was  old,  and  well  stricken  in  age,  and  the  Lord 
had  blessed  Abraham  in  all  things.  And  Abraham  said  unto 
his  eldest  servant  of  his  house,  that  ruled  over  all  that  he  had: 

"  Put,  I  pray  thee,  thy  hand  under  my  thigh,  and  I  will 
make  thee  swear  by  the  Lord,  the  God  of  heaven,  and  the 
God  of  the  earth,  that  thou  shalt  not  take  a  wife  unto  my 
son  of  the  daughters  of  the  Canaanites,  among  whom  I  dwell ; 
but  thou  shalt  go  unto  my  country,  and  to  my  kindred,  and 
take  a  wife  unto  my  son  Isaac."  And  the  servant  said  unto 
him: 

"  Peradventure  the  woman  will  not  be  willing  to  follow 
me  unto  this  land;  must  I  needs  bring  thy  son  again  unto 
the  land  from  whence  thou  camest?"  And  Abraham  said 
unto  him: 

"  Beware  thou  that  thou  bring  not  my  son  thither  again. 
The  Lord  God  of  heaven,  which  took  me  from  my  father's 

26 


ABRAHAM    AND    ISAAC    HEAR    THE    ANGEL  S    VOICE 


THE  STORY  OF  ABRAHAM 

house,  and  from  the  land  of  my  kindred,  and  which  spake 
unto  me,  and  that  sware  unto  me,  saying.  Unto  thy  seed  will 
I  give  this  land;  he  shall  send  his  angel  before  thee,  and 
thou  shalt  take  a  wife  unto  my  son  from  thence.  And  if  the 
woman  will  not  be  willing  to  follow  thee,  then  thou  shalt  be 
clear  from  this  my  oath;  only  bring  not  my  son  thither 
again." 

And  the  servant  put  his  hand  under  the  thigh  of  Abraham 
his  master,  and  sware  to  him  concerning  that  matter.  And 
the  servant  took  ten  camels  of  the  camels  of  his  master, 
and  departed;  for  all  the  goods  of  his  master  were  in  his 
hand.  And  he  arose,  and  went  to  Mesopotamia,  unto  the 
city  of  Mahor.  And  he  made  his  camels  to  kneel  down  with- 
out the  city  by  a  well  of  water  at  the  time  of  the  evening, 
even  the  time  that  women  go  out  to  draw  water.  And  he 
said: 

"  O  Lord  God  of  my  master  Abraham,  I  pray  thee,  send 
me  good  speed  this  day,  and  shew  kindness  unto  my  master 
Abraham.  Behold,  I  stand  here  by  the  well  of  water;  and  the 
daughters  of  the  men  of  the  city  come  out  to  draw  water; 
and  let  it  come  to  pass,  that  the  damsel  to  whom  I  shall  say, 
'  Let  down  thy  pitcher,  I  pray  thee,  that  I  may  drink ' ;  and 
she  shall  say,  *  Drink,  and  I  will  give  thy  camels  drink  also': 
let  the  same  be  she  that  thou  hast  appointed  for  thy  servant 
Isaac ;  and  thereby  shall  I  know  that  thou  hast  shewed  kind- 
ness unto  my  master." 

27 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

And  it  came  to  pass,  before  he  had  done  speaking,  that, 
behold,  Rebekah  came  out,  who  was  born  to  Bethuel,  son  of 
Milcah,  the  wife  of  Nahor,  Abraham's  brother,  with  her 
pitcher  upon  her  shoulder.  And  the  damsel  was  very  fair  to 
look  upon,  a  virgin;  and  she  went  down  to  the  well,  and  filled 
her  pitcher,  and  came  up.  And  the  servant  ran  to  meet  her, 
and  said: 

"  Let  me,  I  pray  thee,  drink  a  little  water  of  thy  pitcher." 
And  she  said: 

"Drink,  my  lord":  and  she  hasted,  and  let  down  her 
pitcher  upon  her  hand,  and  gave  him  drink.  And  when  she 
had  done  giving  him  drink,  she  said: 

"I  will  draw  water  for  thy  camels  also,  until  they  have 
done  drinking."  And  she  hasted,  and  emptied  her  pitcher 
into  the  trough,  and  ran  again  unto  the  well  to  draw  water, 
and  drew  for  all  his  camels. 

And  the  man  wondering  at  her  held  his  peace,  to  wit 
whether  the  Lord  had  made  his  journey  prosperous  or  not. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  as  the  camels  had  done  drinking,  that 
the  man  took  a  golden  earring  of  half  a  shekel  weight,  and 
two  bracelets  for  her  hands  of  ten  shekels  weight  of  gold; 
and  said: 

"  Whose  daughter  art  thou  ?  tell  me,  I  pray  thee :  is  there 
room  in  thy  father's  house  for  us  to  lodge  in  ?"  And  she  said 
unto  him: 

"  I  am  the  daughter  of  Bethuel  the  son  of  Milcah,  which 

28 


THE  STORY  OF  ABRAHAM 

she  bare  nnto  Nahor."  She  said  moreover  unto  him:  "We 
have  both  straw  and  provender  enough,  and  room  to  lodge 
in."  And  the  man  bowed  down  his  head,  and  worshipped 
the  Lord.  And  he  said: 

"  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  my  master  Abraham,  who 
hath  not  left  destitute  my  master  of  his  mercy  and  his  truth. 
I  being  in  the  way,  the  Lord  led  me  to  the  house  of  my 
master's  brethren."  And  the  damsel  ran,  and  told  them  of 
her  mother's  house  these  things. 

And  Rebekah  had  a  brother,  and  his  name  was  Laban. 
And  Laban  ran  out  unto  the  man,  unto  the  well.  And  it  came 
to  pass,  when  he  saw  the  earring  and  bracelets  upon  his 
sister's  hands,  and  when  he  heard  the  words  of  Rebekah  his 
sister,  saying: 

^  "  Thus  spake  the  man  unto  me  " ;  that  he  came  unto  the 
man;  and,  behold,  he  stood  by  the  camels  at  the  well.  And 
he  said: 

"Come  in,  thou  blessed  of  the  Lord;  wherefore  standest 
thou  without?  for  I  have  prepared  the  house,  and  room  for 
the  camels."  And  the  man  came  into  the  house;  and  he  un- 
girded  his  camels,  and  gave  straw  and  provender  for  the 
camels,  and  water  to  wash  his  feet,  and  the  men's  feet  that 
were  with  him.  And  there  was  set  meat  before  him  to  eat, 
but  he  said: 

"  I  will  not  eat,  mitil  I  have  told  mine  errand."  And  he 
said: 

29 


IN   EARLIEST   TIMES 

"Speak  on."  And  he  said: 

"  I  am  Abraham's  servant.  And  the  Lord  hath  blessed  my 
master  greatly;  and  he  is  become  great;  and  he  hath  given 
him  flocks,  and  herds,  and  silver,  and  gold,  and  menservants, 
and  maidservants,  and  camels,  and  asses.  And  Sarah  my 
master's  wife  bare  a  son  to  my  master  when  she  was  old,  and 
unto  him  hath  he  given  all  that  he  hath.  And  my  master 
made  me  swear,  saying,  '  Thou  shalt  not  take  a  wife  to  my 
son  of  the  daughters  of  the  Canaanites,  in  whose  land  I  dwell; 
but  thou  shalt  go  unto  my  father's  house,  and  to  my  kindred, 
and  take  a  wife  unto  my  son.'  And  I  said  unto  my  master, 
^  Peradventure  the  woman  will  not  follow  me.'  And  he  said 
unto  me,  'The  Lord,  before  whom  I  walk,  will  send  his 
angel  with  thee,  and  jDrosper  thy  way;  and  thou  shalt  take  a 
wife  for  my  son  of  my  kindred,  and  of  my  father's  house; 
then  shalt  thou  be  clear  from  this  my  oath,  when  thou  comest 
to  my  kindred;  and  if  they  give  not  thee  one,  thou  shalt  be 
clear  from  my  oath.'  And  I  came  this  day  unto  the  well,  and 
said,  'O  Lord  God  of  my  master  Abraham,  if  now  thou  do 
prosper  my  way  which  I  go :  behold,  I  stand  by  the  well  of 
water;  and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  when  the  virgin  cometh 
forth  to  draw  water,  and  I  say  to  her,  "  Give  me,  I  pray  thee, 
a  little  water  of  thy  pitcher  to  drink";  and  she  say  to  me, 
"Both  drink  thou,  and  I  will  also  draw  for  thy  camels":  let 
the  same  be  the  woman  whom  the  Lord  hath  appointed  out 
for  my  master's  son.'  And  before  I  had  done  speaking  in 

30 


THE  STORY  OF  ABRAHAM 

mine  heart,  behold,  Rebekah  came  forth  with  her  pitcher  on 
her  shoulder;  and  she  went  down  unto  the  well,  and  drew 
water;  and  I  said  unto  her,  ^Let  me  drink,  I  pray  thee.' 
And  she  made  haste,  and  let  down  her  pitcher  from  her 
shoulder,  and  said,  *  Drink,  and  I  will  give  thy  camels  drink 
also';  so  I  drank,  and  she  made  the  camels  drink  also.  And 
I  asked  her,  and  said,  '  Whose  daughter  art  thou  ? '  And  she 
said,  '  The  daughter  of  Bethuel,  Nahor's  son,  whom  Milcah 
bare  unto  him';  and  I  put  the  earring  upon  her  face,  and  the 
bracelets  upon  her  hands.  And  I  bowed  down  my  head,  and 
worshipped  the  Lord,  and  blessed  the  Lord  God  of  my  master 
Abraham,  which  had  led  me  in  the  right  way  to  take  my 
master's  brother's  daughter  unto  his  son.  And  now  if  ye  will 
deal  kindly  and  truly  with  my  master,  tell  me ;  and  if  not, 
tell  me ;  that  I  may  turn  to  the  right  hand,  or  to  the  left." 
Then  Laban  and  Bethuel  answered  and  said: 

"  The  thing  proceedeth  from  the  Lord ;  we  cannot  speak 
unto  thee  bad  or  good.  Behold,  Rebekah  is  before  thee,  take 
her,  and  go,  and  let  her  be  thy  master's  son's  wife,  as  the 
Lord  hath  spoken." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  when  Abraham's  servant  heard 
their  words,  he  worshipped  the  Lord,  bowing  himself  to  the 
earth.  And  the  servant  brought  forth  jewels  of  silver,  and 
jewels  of  gold,  and  raiment,  and  gave  them  to  Rebekah;  he 
gave  also  to  her  brother  and  to  her  mother  precious  things. 
And  they  did  eat  and  drink,  he  and  the  men  that  were  with 

31 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

him,  and  tarried  all  night;  and  they  rose  up  in  the  morning, 
and  he  said: 

"  Send  me  away  unto  my  master."  And  her  brother  and 
her  mother  said : 

"  Let  the  damsel  abide  with  us  a  few  days,  at  the  least  ten ; 
after  that  she  shall  go."  And  he  said  unto  them : 

"  Hinder  me  not,  seeing  the  Lord  hath  prospered  my  way; 
send  me  away  that  I  may  go  to  my  master."  And  they  said: 

"We  will  call  the  damsel,  and  inquire  at  her  mouth."  And 
they  called  Rebekah,  and  said  unto  her: 

"  Wilt  thou  go  with  this  man  V  "  Ajid  she  said : 

"I  will  go."  And  they  sent  away  Rebekah  their  sister,  and 
her  nurse,  and  Abraham's  servant,  and  his  men.  And  they 
blessed  Rebekah,  and  said  unto  her: 

"  Thou  art  our  sister,  be  thou  the  mother  of  thousands  of 
millions,  and  let  thy  seed  possess  the  gate  of  those  which 
hate  them."  And  Rebekah  arose,  and  her  damsels,  and  they 
rode  upon  the  camels,  and  followed  the  man;  and  the  ser- 
vant took  Rebekah,  and  went  his  way.  And  Isaac  came  from 
the  way  of  the  well  Lahai-roi;  for  he  dwelt  in  the  south  coun- 
try. And  Isaac  went  out  to  meditate  in  the  field  at  the  even- 
tide; and  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  saw,  and,  behold,  the 
camels  were  coming.  And  Rebekah  lifted  up  her  eyes,  and 
when  she  saw  Isaac,  she  lighted  off  the  camel.  For  she 
had  said  unto  the  servant,  "What  man  is  this  that  walketh 
in  the  field  to  meet  us?  And  the  servant  had  said,  "It  is 

32 


THE   STORY   OF   ABRAHAM 

my  master " :  therefore  she  took  a  veil  and  covered  herself. 
And  the  servant  told  Isaac  all  things  that  he  had  done.  And 
Isaac  brought  her  into  his  mother  Sarah's  tent,  and  took 
Rebekah,  and  she  became  his  wife ;  and  he  loved  her,  and 
Isaac  was  comforted  after  his  mother's  death. 

And  these  are  the  days  of  the  years  of  Abraham's  life 
which  he  lived,  an  hundred  threescore  and  fifteen  years. 
Then  Abraham  gave  up  the  ghost,  and  died  in  a  good  old 
age,  an  old  man,  and  full  of  years;  and  was  gathered  to  his 
people.  And  his  sons  Isaac  and  Ishmael  buried  him  in  the 
cave  of  Machpelah,  in  the  field  of  Ephron  the  son  of  Zohar 
the  Hittite,  which  is  before  Mamre;  the  field  which  Abra- 
ham purchased  of  the  sons  of  Heth.  There  was  Abraham 
buried,  and  Sarah  his  wife. 


THE  STORY  OF  JOSEPH 

1.     THE    CRUEL  BRETHREN 

Now  Israel  loved  Joseph  more  than  all  his  children,  because 
he  was  the  son  of  his  old  age;  and  he  made  him  a  coat  of 
many  colors.  And  when  his  brethren  saw  that  their  father 
loved  him  more  than  all  his  brethren,  they  hated  him,  and 
could  not.  speak  peaceably  unto  him.  And  Joseph  dreamed 
a  dream,  and  he  told  it  his  brethren :  and  they  hated  him  yet 
the  more.  And  he  said  unto  them : 

"  Hear,  I  pray  you,  this  dream  which  I  have  dreamed :  for, 
behold,  we  were  binding  sheaves  in  the  field,  and,  lo,  my 
sheaf  arose,  and  also  stood  upright;  and,  behold,  your  sheaves 
stood  round  about,  and  made  obeisance  to  my  sheaf."  And 
his  brethren  said  to  him: 

"  Shalt  thou  indeed  reign  over  us  ?  or  shalt  thou  indeed 
have  dominion  over  us  ?  "  And  they  hated  him  yet  the  more 
for  his  dreams,  and  for  his  words.  And  he  dreamed  yet  an- 
other dream,  and  told  it  his  brethren,  and  said : 

"Behold,  I  have  dreamed  a  dream  more;  and,  behold,  the 
sun  and  the  moon  and  the  eleven  stars  made  obeisance  to 
me."  And  he  told  it  to  his  father,  and  to  his  brethren:  and 
his  father  rebuked  him,  and  said  unto  him: 

34 


THE  STORY  OF  JOSEPH 

""What  is  this  dream  that  thou  hast  dreamed?  Shall  I  and 
thy  mother  and  thy  brethren  indeed  come  to  bow  down  our- 
selves to  thee  to  the  earth?"  And  his  brethren  envied  him; 
but  his  father  observed  the  saying. 

And  his  brethren  went  to  feed  their  father's  flock  in  She- 
chem.  And  Israel  said  mito  Joseph : 

"  Do  not  thy  brethren  feed  the  flock  in  Shechem  ?  come, 
and  I  will  send  thee  unto  them."  And  he  said  to  him : 

"  Here  am  I."  And  he  said  to  him : 

"  Go,  I  pray  thee,  see  whether  it  be  well  with  thy  brethren, 
and  well  with  the  flocks;  and  bring  me  word  again."  So  he 
sent  him  out  of  the  vale  of  Hebron,  and  he  came  to  Shechem. 
And  a  certain  man  found  him,  and,  behold,  he  was  wander- 
ing in  the  field:  and  the  man  asked  him,  saying, 

"What  seekest  thou  ?"  And  he  said: 

"  I  seek  my  brethren ;  tell  me,  I  pray  thee,  where  they  feed 
their  flocks." 

And  the  man  said: 

"  They  are  departed  hence ;  for  I  heard  them  say,  *  Let 
us  go  to  Dothan.' "  And  Joseph  went  after  his  brethren,  and 
found  them  in  Dothan.  And  when  they  saw  him  afar  off, 
even  before  he  came  near  unto  them,  they  conspired  against 
him  to  slay  him.  And  they  said  one  to  another: 

"  Behold,  this  dreamer  cometh.  Come  now  therefore,  and 
let  us  slay  him,  and  cast  him  into  some  pit,  and  we  will  say, 
*Some  evil  beast  hath  devoured  him':  and  we  shall  see  what 

35 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

will  become  of  his  dreams."  And  Reuben  heard  it,  and  he 
delivered  him  out  of  their  hands,  and  said: 

"  Let  us  not  kill  him."  And  Reuben  said  unto  them, "  Shed 
no  blood,  but  cast  him  into  this  pit  that  is  in  the  wilderness, 
and  lay  no  hand  upon  him";  that  he  might  rid  him  out  of 
their  hands,  to  deliver  him  to  his  father  again. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Joseph  was  come  unto  his 
brethren,  that  they  stript  Joseph  out  of  his  coat,  his  coat  of 
many  colors  that  was  on  him ;  and  they  took  him ;  and  cast 
him  into  a  pit;  and  the  pit  was  empty,  there  was  no  water  in 
it.  And  they  sat  down  to  eat  bread,  and  they  lifted  up  their 
eyes  and  looked,  and,  behold,  a  company  of  Ishmaelites  came 
from  Gilead  with  their  camels  bearing  spicery  and  balm  and 
myrrh,  going  to  carry  it  down  to  Egypt.  And  Judah  said 
unto  his  brethren  : 

"  What  profit  is  it  if  we  slay  our  brother,  and  conceal  his 
blood  ?  Come,  and  let  us  sell  him  to  the  Ishmaelites,  and  let 
not  our  hand  be  upon  him ;  for  he  is  our  brother  and  our 
flesh."  And  his  brethren  were  content.  Then  there  passed 
by  Midianites,  merchantmen ;  and  they  drew  and  lifted  up 
Joseph  out  of  the  pit,  and  sold  Joseph  to  the  Ishmaelites  for 
twenty  pieces  of  silver;  and  they  brought  Joseph  into  Egypt. 

And  Reuben  returned  unto  the  pit;  and,  behold,  Joseph 
was  not  in  the  pit;  and  he  rent  his  clothes.  And  he  returned 
unto  his  brethren,  and  said: 

"  The  child  is  not;  and  I,  whither  shall  I  go?"  And  they 

36 


THE  STORY  OF  JOSEPH 

took  Joseph's  coat,  and  killed  a  kid  of  the  goats,  and  dipped 
the  coat  in  the  blood;  and  they  sent  the  coat  of  many  colors, 
and  they  brought  it  to  their  father;  and  said: 

"  This  have  we  found;  know  now  whether  it  be  thy  son's 
coat  or  no."  And  he  knew  it,  and  said : 

"It  is  my  son's  coat;  an  evil  beast  hath  devoured  him; 
Joseph  is  without  doubt  rent  in  pieces."  And  Jacob  rent  his 
clothes,  and  put  sackcloth  upon  his  loins,  and  mourned  for 
his  son  many  days.  And  all  his  sons  and  all  his  daughters 
rose  up  to  comfort  him ;  but  he  refused  to  be  comforted,  and 
he  said: 

"  For  I  will  go  down  into  the  grave  unto  my  son  mourn- 
ing." Thus  his  father  wept  for  him.  And  the  Midianites  sold 
him  into  Egypt  unto  Potiphar,  an  officer  of  Pharaoh's,  and 
captain  of  the  guard. 

2.   JOSEPH  IN  PRISON  IN  EGYPT 

And  Joseph  was  brought  down  to  Egypt;  and  Potiphar, 
an  officer  of  Pharaoh,  captain  of  the  guard,  an  Egyptian, 
bought  him  of  the  hands  of  the  Ishmaelites,  which  had 
brought  him  down  thither.  And  the  Lord  was  with  Joseph, 
and  he  was  a  prosperous  man;  and  he  was  in  the  house  of 
his  master  the  Eg}^ptian.  And  his  master  saw  that  the  Lord 
was  with  him,  and  that  the  Lord  made  all  that  he  did  to 
prosper  in  his  hand.  And  Joseph  found  grace  in  his  sight, 

37 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

and  he  served  him :  and  he  made  him  overseer  over  his  house, 
and  all  that  he  had  he  put  into  his  hand. 

And  it  came  to  pass  from  the  time  that  he  had  made  him 
overseer  in  his  house,  and  over  all  that  he  had,  that  the  Lord 
blessed  the  Egyptian's  house  for  Joseph's  sake;  and  the 
blessing  of  the  Lord  was  upon  all  that  he  had  in  the  house, 
and  in  the  field.  And  he  left  all  that  he  had  in  Joseph's 
hand;  and  he  knew  not  aught  he  had,  save  the  bread  which 
he  did  eat.  And  Joseph  was  a  goodly  person,  and  well  fa- 
voured. 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  these  things,  that  his  master's 
wife  [falsely  accused  Joseph  of  wrongdoing].  And  when  his 
master  heard  the  words  of  his  wife,  which  she  spake  unto 
him,  his  wrath  was  kindled.  And  Joseph's  master  took  him, 
and  put  him  into  the  prison,  a  jDlace  where  the  king's  prison- 
ers were  bound;  and  he  was  there  in  the  prison. 

But  the  Lord  was  with  Joseph,  and  shewed  him  mercy, 
and  gave  him  favour  in  the  sight  of  the  keeper  of  the  prison. 
And  the  keeper  of  the  prison  committed  to  Joseph's  hand  all 
the  prisoners  that  were  in  the  prison;  and  whatsoever  they 
did  there,  he  was  the  doer  of  it.  The  keeper  of  the  prison 
looked  not  to  any  thing  that  was  under  his  hand ;  because 
the  Lord  was  with  him,  and  that  which  he  did,  the  Lord  made 
it  to  prosper. 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  these  things,  that  the  butler  of 
the  king  of  Egypt  and  his  baker  had  offended  their  lord  the 

38 


THE  STORY  OF  JOSEPH 

king  of  Egypt.  And  Pharaoh  was  wroth  against  two  of  his 
officers,  against  the  chief  of  the  butlers,  and  against  the  chief 
of  the  bakers.  And  he  put  them  in  ward  in  the  house  of  the 
captain  of  the  guard,  into  the  prison,  the  place  where  Joseph 
was  bound.  And  the  captain  of  the  guard  charged  Joseph 
with  them,  and  he  served  them;  and  they  continued  a  season 
in  ward. 

And  they  dreamed  a  dream  both  of  them,  each  man  his 
dream  in  one  night,  each  man  according  to  the  interpretation 
of  his  dream,  the  butler  and  the  baker  of  the  king  of  Egypt, 
which  were  bound  in  the  prison.  And  Joseph  came  in  nnto 
them  in  the  morning,  and  looked  upon  them,  and,  behold, 
they  were  sad.  And  he  asked  Pharaoh's  officers  that  were 
with  him  in  the  ward  of  his  lord's  house,  saying: 

"  Wherefore  look  ye  so  sadly  to-day  ?  "  And  they  said  unto 
him: 

"We  have  dreamed  a  dream,  and  there  is  no  interpreter 
of  it."  And  Joseph  said  unto  them: 

"  Do  not  interpretations  belong  to  God  ?  tell  me  them,  I 
pray  you."  And  the  chief  butler  told  his  dream  to  Joseph, 
and  said  to  him: 

"  In  my  dream,  behold,  a  vine  was  before  me ;  and  in  the 
vine  were  three  branches;  and  it  was  as  though  it  budded, 
and  her  blossoms  shot  forth ;  and  the  clusters  thereof  brought 
forth  ripe  grapes;  and  Pharaoh's  cup  was  in  my  hand:  and 
I  took  the  grapes,  and  pressed  them  into  Pharaoh's  cup, 

39 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

and  I  gave  the  cup  into  Pharaoh's  hand."  And  Joseph  said 
unto  him: 

'^  This  is  the  interpretation  of  it:  the  three  branches  are 
three  days;  yet  within  three  days  shall  Pharaoh  lift  up  thine 
head,  and  restore  thee  unto  thy  place ;  and  thou  shalt  deliver 
Pharaoh's  cup  into  his  hand,  after  the  former  manner  when 
thou  wast  his  butler.  But  think  on  me  when  it  shall  be  well 
with  thee,  and  shew  kindness,  I  pray  thee,  unto  me,  and  rnake 
mention  of  me  unto  Pharaoh,  and  bring  me  out  of  this  house; 
for  indeed  I  was  stolen  away  out  of  the  land  of  the  Hebrews ; 
and  here  also  have  I  done  nothing  that  they  should  put  me 
into  the  dungeon."  When  the  chief  baker  saw  that  the  inter- 
pretation was  good,  he  said  unto  Joseph : 

"I  also  was  in  my  dream,  and,  behold,  I  had  three  white 
baskets  on  my  head;  and  in  the  uppermost  basket  there  was 
of  all  manner  of  bakemeats  for  Pharaoh ;  and  the  birds  did 
eat  them  out  of  the  basket  upon  my  head."  And  Joseph 
answered  and  said: 

"  This  is  the  interpretation  thereof :  the  three  baskets  are 
three  days;  yet  within  three  days  shall  Pharaoh  lift  up  thy 
head  from  off  thee,  and  shall  hang  thee  on  a  tree;  and  the 
birds  shall  eat  thy  flesh  from  off  thee." 

And  it  came  to  pass  the  third  day,  which  was  Pharaoh's 
birthday,  that  he  made  a  feast  unto  all  his  servants;  and  he 
lifted  up  the  head  of  the  chief  butler  and  of  the  chief  baker 
among  his  servants.   And  he  restored  the  chief  butler  unto 

40 


THE  STORY   OF  JOSEPH 

his  butlership  again;  and  he  gave  the  cup  into  Pharaoh's 
hand;  but  he  hanged  the  chief  baker,  as  Joseph  had  inter- 
preted to  them.  Yet  did  not  the  chief  butler  remember 
Joseph,  but  forgat  him. 

3.     PHARAOH'S  DREAM 

And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  end  of  two  full  years,  that 
Pharaoh  dreamed ;  and,  behold,  he  stood  by  the  river.  And, 
behold,  there  came  up  out  of  the  river  seven  well  favoured 
kine  and  f atfleshed ;  and  they  fed  in  a  meadow.  And,  behold, 
seven  other  kine  came  up  after  them  out  of  the  river,  ill 
favoured  and  leanfleshed;  and  stood  by  the  other  kine  upon 
the  brink  of  the  river.  And  the  ill  favoured  and  leanfleshed 
kine  did  eat  up  the  seven  well  favoured  and  fat  kine.  So 
Pharaoh  awoke. 

And  he  slept  and  dreamed  the  second  time;  and,  behold, 
seven  ears  of  corn  came  up  upon  one  stalk,  rank  and  good. 
And,  behold,  seven  thin  ears  and  blasted  with  the  east  wind 
sprung  up  after  them.  And  the  seven  thin  ears  devoured 
the  seven  rank  and  full  ears.  And  Pharaoh  awoke,  and,  be- 
hold, it  was  a  dream. 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  morning  that  his  spirit  was 
troubled;  and  he  sent  and  called  for  all  the  magicians  of 
Egypt,  and  all  the  wise  men  thereof,  and  Pharaoh  told  them 
his  dream;  but  there  was  none  that  could  interpret  them 

41 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

unto  Pharaoh.  Then  spake  the  chief  butler  unto  Pharaoh, 
saying : 

"  I  do  remember  my  faults  this  day.  Pharaoh  was  wroth 
with  his  servants,  and  put  me  in  ward  in  the  captain  of  the 
guard's  house,  both  me  and  the  chief  baker.  And  we  dreamed 
a  dream  in  one  night,  I  and  he;  we  dreamed  each  man  ac- 
cording to  the  interpretation  of  his  dream.  And  there  was 
there  with  us  a  young  man,  an  Hebrew,  servant  to  the  cap- 
tain of  the  guard;  and  we  told  him,  and  he  interpreted  to 
us  our  dreams;  to  each  man  according  to  his  dream  he  did 
interpret.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  interpreted  to  us,  so  it 
was;  me  he  restored  unto  mine  office,  and  him  he  hanged." 

Then  Pharaoh  sent  and  called  Joseph,  and  they  brought 
him  hastily  out  of  the  dungeon ;  and  he  shaved  himself,  and 
changed  his  raiment,  and  came  in  unto  Pharaoh.  And  Pha- 
raoh said  unto  Joseph : 

"  I  have  dreamed  a  dream,  and  there  is  none  that  can  in- 
terpret it;  and  I  have  heard  say  of  thee,  that  thou  canst 
understand  a  dream  to  interpret  it."  And  Joseph  answered 
Pharaoh,  saying: 

"  It  is  not  in  me.  God  shall  give  Pharaoh  an  answer  of 
peace."  And  Pharaoh  said  unto  Joseph: 

"  In  my  dream,  behold,  I  stood  upon  the  bank  of  the  river; 
and,  behold,  there  came  up  out  of  the  river  seven  kine,  fat- 
fleshed  and  well  favoured;  and  they  fed  in  a  meadow;  and, 
behold,  seven  other  kine  came  up,  after  them,  poor  and  very 

42 


THE  STORY  OF  JOSEPH 

ill  favoured  and  leanfleshed,  such  as  I  never  saw  in  all  the 
land  of  Egypt  for  badness  ,•  and  the  lean  and  the  ill  favoured 
kine  did  eat  up  the  first  seven  fat  kine ;  and  when  they  had 
eaten  them  up,  it  could  not  be  known  that  they  had  eaten 
them ;  but  they  were  still  ill  favoured,  as  at  the  beginning. 
So  I  awoke.  And  I  saw  in  my  dream,  and,  behold,  seven 
ears  came  up  in  one  stalk,  full  and  good ;  and,  behold,  seven 
ears,  withered,  thin,  and  blasted  with  the  east  wind,  sprung 
up  after  them ;  and  the  thin  ears  devoured  the  seven  good 
ears:  and  I  told  this  unto  the  magicians;  but  there  was  none 
that  could  declare  it  to  me."  And  Joseph  said  unto  Pha- 
raoh : 

"  The  dream  of  Pharaoh  is  one :  God  hath  shewed  Pha- 
raoh what  he  is  about  to  do.  The  seven  good  kine  are  seven 
years;  and  the  seven  good  ears  are  seven  years:  the  dream 
is  one.  And  the  seven  thin  and  ill  favoured  kine  that  came 
up  after  them  are  seven  years;  and  the  seven  empty  ears 
blasted  with  the  east  wind  shall  be  seven  years  of  famine. 
This  is  the  thing  which  I  have  spoken  unto  Pharaoh: 
what  God  is  about  to  do  he  sheweth  unto  Pharaoh.  Behold, 
there  come  seven  years  of  great  plenty  throughout  all  the 
land  of  Egypt:  and  there  shall  arise  after  them  seven  years 
of  famine;  and  all  the  plenty  shall  be  forgotten  in  the 
land  of  Egypt,  and  the  famine  shall  consume  the  land;  and 
the  plenty  shall  not  be  known  in  the  land  by  reason  of 
that  famine  following;  for  it  shall  be  very  grievous.  And  for 

43 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

that  the  dream  was  doubled  unto  Pharaoh  twice ;  it  is  because 
the  thing  is  estabhshed  by  God,  and  God  will  shortly  bring 
it  to  pass.  Now  therefore  let  Pharaoh  look  out  a  man  dis- 
creet and  wise,  and  set  him  over  the  land  of  Egypt.  Let 
Pharaoh  do  this,  and  let  him  appoint  officers  over  the  land, 
and  take  up  the  fifth  part  of  the  land  of  Egypt  in  the  seven 
plenteous  years.  And  let  them  gather  all  the  food  of  those 
good  years  that  come,  and  lay  up  corn  under  the  hand  of 
Pharaoh,  and  let  them  keep  food  in  the  cities.  And  that  food 
shall  be  for  store  to  the  land  against  the  seven  years  of  fam- 
ine, which  shall  be  in  the  land  of  Egypt ;  that  the  land  perish 
not  through  the  famine." 

4.    JOSEPH  BECOMES  A  RULER  IN  EGYPT 

And  the  thing  was  good  in  the  eyes  of  Pharaoh,  and  in 
the  eyes  of  all  his  servants.  And  Pharaoh  said  unto  his 
servants : 

"  Can  we  find  such  a  one  as  this  is,  a  man  in  whom  the 
Spirit  of  God  is  ?  "  And  Pharaoh  said  mito  Joseph : 

"Forasmuch  as  God  hath  shewed  thee  all  this,  there  is 
none  so  discreet  and  wise  as  thou  art ;  thou  shalt  be  over  my 
house,  and  according  unto  thy  word  shall  all  my  people  be 
ruled :  only  in  the  throne  will  I  be  greater  than  thou."  And 
Pharaoh  said  unto  Joseph: 

"  See,  I  have  set  thee  over  all  the  land  of  Egypt." 

44 


THE  STORY   OF  JOSEPH 

Aiid  Pharaoh  took  off  his  ring  from  his  hand,  and  put  it 
upon  Joseph's  hand,  and  arrayed  him  in  vestures  of  fine 
linen,  and  put  a  gold  chain  about  his  neck;  and  he  made 
him  to  ride  in  the  second  chariot  which  he  had;  and  they 
cried  before  him,  "Bow  the  knee";  and  he  made  him  ruler 
over  all  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  Pharaoh  said  unto  Jo- 
seph: 

"  I  am  Pharaoh,  and  without  thee  shall  no  man  lift  up  his 
hand  or  foot  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt."  And  Pharaoh  gave 
him  to  wife  Asenath  the  daughter  of  Poti-pherah  priest  of 
On.    And  Joseph  went  out  over  all  the  land  of  Egypt. 

And  Joseph  was  thirty  years  old  when  he  stood  before 
Pharaoh  king  of  Egypt.  And  Josej^h  went  out  from  the  pres- 
ence of  Pharaoh,  and  went  throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt. 
And  in  the  seven  plenteous  years  the  earth  brought  forth  by 
handfuls.  And  he  gathered  up  all  the  food  of  the  seven  years, 
which  were  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  laid  up  the  food  in  the 
cities;  the  food  of  the  field,  which  was  round  about  every 
city,  laid  he  up  in  the  same.  And  Joseph  gathered  corn  as 
the  sand  of  the  sea,  very  much,  until  he  left  numbering;  for 
it  was  without  number. 

And  unto  Joseph  were  born  two  sons  before  the  years  of 
famine  came,  which  Asenath  the  daughter  of  Poti-pherah 
priest  of  On  bare  unto  him.  And  Joseph  called  the  name  of 
the  firstborn  Manasseh :  "  For  God,"  said  he, "  hath  made  me 
forget  all  my  toil,  and  all  my  father's  house."  And  the  name 

45 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

of  the  second  called  he  Ephraim :  "  For  God  hath  caused  me 
to  be  fruitful  in  the  land  of  my  affliction." 

And  the  seven  years  of  plenteousness,  that  was  in  the 
land  of  Egypt,  were  ended.  And  the  seven  years  of  dearth 
began  to  come,  according  as  Joseph  had  said;  and  the  dearth 
was  in  all  lands;  but  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt  there  was 
bread. 

And  when  all  the  land  of  Egyj^t  was  famished,  the  peojDle 
cried  to  Pharaoh  for  bread;  and  Pharaoh  said  unto  all  the 
Egyptians: 

"Go  unto  Joseph;  what  he  saith  to  you,  do."  And  the 
famine  was  over  all  the  face  of  the  earth.  And  JosejDh  opened 
all  the  storehouses,  and  sold  unto  the  Egyptians;  and  the 
famine  waxed  sore  in  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  all  countries 
came  into  Egypt  to  Joseph  for  to  buy  corn;  because  that  the 
famine  was  so  sore  in  all  lands. 

5.     JOSEPH'S  BRETHREN  COME  TO  EGYPT 

Now  when  Jacob  saw  that  there  was  corn  in  Egypt,  Jacob 
said  unto  his  sons : 

"Why  do  ye  look  one  upon  another  ?  "  And  he  said: 

"  Behold,  I  have  heard  that  there  is  corn  in  Egypt;  get  you 

down  thither,  and  buy  for  us  from  thence;  that  we  may  live, 

and  not  die."  And  Joseph's  ten  brethren  went  down  to  buy 

corn  in  Egypt.  But  Benjamin,  Joseph's  brother,  Jacob  sent 

46 


THE  STORY  OF  JOSEPH 

not  with  his  brethren;  for  he  said,  "Lest  peradventnre  mis- 
chief befall  him." 

And  the  sons  of  Israel  came  to  buy  corn  among  those 
that  came;  for  the  famine  was  in  the  land  of  Canaan.  And 
Joseph  was  the  governor  over  the  land,  and  he  it  was  that 
sold  to  all  the  people  of  the  land;  and  Joseph's  brethren 
came,  and  bowed  down  themselves  before  him  with  their 
faces  to  the  earth.  And  Joseph  saw  his  brethren,  and  he 
knew  them,  but  made  himself  strange  unto  them,  and  spake 
roughly  unto  them ;  and  he  said  unto  them : 

"Whence  come  ye?"  And  they  said: 

"From  the  land  of  Canaan  to  buy  food."  And  Joseph 
knew  his  brethren,  but  they  knew  not  him.  And  Joseph  re- 
membered the  dreams  which  he  dreamed  of  them,  and  said 
unto  them: 

"  Ye  are  spies ;  to  see  the  nakedness  of  the  land  ye  are 
come."  And  they  said  unto  him: 

"Nay,  my  lord,  but  to  buy  food  are  thy  servants  come. 
We  are  all  one  man's  sons;  we  are  true  men,  thy  servants 
are  no  spies."  And  he  said  unto  them: 

"  Nay,  but  to  see  the  nakedness  of  the  land  ye  are  come." 
And  they  said: 

"  Thy  servants  are  twelve  brethren,  sons  of  one  man  in  the 
land  of  Canaan;  and,  behold,  the  youngest  is  this  day  with 
our  father,  and  one  is  not."  And  Joseph  said  unto  them : 

"  That  is  it  that  I  spake  unto  you,  saying,  *  Ye  are  spies': 

47 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

hereby  ye  shall  be  proved :  by  the  life  of  Pharaoh  ye  shall 
not  go  forth  hence,  except  your  youngest  brother  come  hither. 
Send  one  of  you,  and  let  him  fetch  your  brother,  and  ye  shall 
be  kept  in  prison,  that  your  words  may  be  proved,  Avhether 
there  be  any  truth  in  you;  or  else  by  the  life  of  Pharaoh 
surely  ye  are  spies."  And  he  put  them  all  together  into  ward 
three  days.  And  Joseph  said  unto  them  the  third  day: 

"This  do,  and  live;  for  I  fear  God:  if  ye  be  true  men,  let 
one  of  your  brethren  be  bound  in  the  house  of  your  prison ;  go 
ye,  carry  corn  for  the  famine  of  your  houses ;  but  bring  your 
youngest  brother  unto  me ;  so  shall  your  words  be  verified, 
and  ye  shall  not  die."  And  they  did  so.  And  they  said  one 
to  another: 

"We  are  verily  guilty  concerning  our  brother,  in  that  we 
saw  the  anguish  of  his  soul,  when  he  besought  us,  and  we 
would  not  hear;  therefore  is  this  distress  come  upon  us." 
And  Reuben  answered  them,  saying, 

"Spake  I  not  unto  you,  saying,  'Do  not  sin  against  the 
child;'  and  ye  would  not  hear?  therefore,  behold,  also  his 
blood  is  required."  And  they  knew  not  that  Joseph  under- 
stood them ;  for  he  spake  unto  them  by  an  interpreter.  And 
he  turned  himself  about  from  them,  and  wept ;  and  returned 
to  them  again,  and  communed  with  them,  and  took  from 
them  Simeon,  and  bound  him  before  their  eyes. 

Then  Joseph  commanded  to  fill  their  sacks  with  corn,  and 
to  restore  every  man's  money  into  his  sack,  and  to  give  them 

48 


THE  STORY  OF  JOSEPH 

provision  for  the  way :  and  thus  did  he  unto  them.  And  they 
laded  their  asses  with  the  corn,  and  departed  thence.  And 
as  one  of  them  opened  his  sack  to  give  his  ass  provender  in 
the  inn,  he  espied  his  money;  for,  behold,  it  was  in  his  sack's 
mouth.  And  he  said  unto  his  brethren: 

"My  money  is  restored;  and,  lo,  it  is  even  in  my  sack"; 
and  their  heart  failed  them,  and  they  were  afraid,  saying  one 
to  another,  "  "What  is  this  that  God  hath  done  unto  us  ?  " 

And  they  came  unto  Jacob  their  father  unto  the  land  of 
Canaan,  and  told  him  all  that  befell  unto  them,  saying : 

"  The  man,  who  is  the  lord  of  the  land,  spake  roughly  to 
us,  and  took  us  for  spies  of  the  country.  And  we  said  unto 
him,  'We  are  true  men;  we  are  no  spies;  we  be  twelve 
brethren,  sons  of  our  father;  one  is  not,  and  the  youngest  is 
this  day  with  our  father  in  the  land  of  Canaan.'  And  the 
man,  the  lord  of  the  country,  said  unto  us,  'Hereby  shall 
I  know  that  ye  are  true  men;  leave  one  of  your  brethren 
here  with  me,  and  take  food  for  the  famine  of  your  house- 
holds, and  be  gone ;  and  bring  your  youngest  brother  unto 
me ;  then  shall  I  know  that  ye  are  no  spies,  but  that  ye  are 
true  men;  so  will  I  deliver  you  your  brother,  and  ye  shall 
traffick  in  the  land.' "  And  it  came  to  pass  as  they  emptied 
their  sacks,  that,  behold,  every  man's  bundle  of  money  was 
in  his  sack;  and  when  both  they  and  their  father  saw  the 
bundles  of  money,  they  were  afraid.  And  Jacob  their  father 
said  unto  them : 

49 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

"Me  have  ye  bereaved  of  my  children:  Joseph  is  not,  and 
Simeon  is  not,  and  ye  will  take  Benjamin  away ;  all  these 
things  are  against  me."  And  Reuben  spake  unto  his  father, 
saying : 

"Slay  my  two  sons,  if  I  bring  him  not  to  thee;  deliver  him 
into  my  hand,  and  I  will  bring  him  to  thee  again."  And  he  said : 

"My  son  shall  not  go  down  with  you;  for  his  brother  is 
dead,  and  he  is  left  alone ;  if  mischief  befall  him  by  the  way 
in  the  which  ye  go,  then  shall  ye  bring  down  my  gray  hairs 
with  sorrow  to  the  grave." 

6.   THE  SILVER  CUP 

And  the  famine  was  sore  in  the  land.  And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  they  had  eaten  up  the  corn  which  they  had  brought 
out  of  Egypt,  their  father  said  unto  them: 

"  Go  again,  buy  us  a  little  food."  And  Judah  spake  unto 
him,  saying: 

"  The  man  did  solemnly  protest  unto  us,  saying,  '  Ye  shall 
not  see  my  face,  except  your  brother  be  with  you.'  If  thou 
wilt  send  our  brother  with  us,  we  will  go  down  and  buy  thee 
food.  But  if  thou  wilt  not  send  him,  we  will  not  go  down; 
for  the  man  said  unto  us,  '  Ye  shall  not  see  my  face,  except 
your  brother  be  with  you.' "  And  Israel  said : 

"  Wherefore  dealt  ye  so  ill  with  me,  as  to  tell  the  man 
whether  ye  had  yet  a  brother?"  And  they  said: 

50 


THE  STORY   OF  JOSEPH 

"  The  man  asked  us  straitly  of  our  state,  and  of  our  kin- 
dred, saying,  *Is  your  father  yet  alive?  have  ye  another 
brother  ? '  and  we  told  him  according  to  the  tenor  of  these 
words.  Could  we  certainly  know  that  he  would  say,  '  Bring 
your  brother  down '  ?  "  And  Judah  said  unto  Israel  his  father : 

"  Send  the  lad  with  me,  and  we  will  arise  and  go ;  that  we 
may  live,  and  not  die,  both  we,  and  thou,  and  also  our  little 
ones.  I  will  be  surety  for  him ;  of  my  hand  shaltthou  require 
him ;  if  I  bring  him  not  unto  thee,  and  set  him  before  thee, 
then  let  me  bear  the  blame  for  ever;  for  except  we  had  lin- 
gered, surely  now  we  had  returned  this  second  time."  And 
their  father  Israel  said  unto  them: 

"  If  it  must  be  so  now,  do  this;  take  of  the  best  fruits  in 
the  land  in  your  vessels,  and  carry  down  the  man  a  present, 
a  little  balm,  and  a  little  honey,  spices  and  myrrh,  nuts 
and  almonds ;  and  take  double  money  in  your  hand ;  and  the 
money  that  was  brought  again  in  the  mouth  of  your  sacks, 
carry  it  again  in  your  hand;  perad venture  it  was  an  over- 
sight; take  also  your  brother,  and  arise,  go  again  unto  the 
man;  and  God  Almighty  give  you  mercy  before  the  man, 
that  he  may  send  away  your  other  brother,  and  Benjamin. 
If  I  be  bereaved  of  my  children,  I  am  bereaved." 

And  the  men  took  that  present,  and  they  took  double 
money  in  their  hand,  and  Benjamin,  and  rose  up,  and  went 
down  to  Egypt,  and  stood  before  Joseph.  And  when  Joseph 
saw  Benjamin  with  them,  he  said  to  the  ruler  of  his  house: 

61 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

"  Bring  these  men  home,  and  slay,  and  make  ready ;  for 
these  men  shall  dine  with  me  at  noon."  And  the  man  did  as 
Joseph  bade;  and  the  man  brought  the  men  into  Joseph's 
house.  And  the  men  were  afraid,  because  they  were  brought 
into  Joseph's  house;  and  they  said,  "Because  of  the  money 
that  was  returned  in  our  sacks  at  the  first  time  are  we  brought 
in;  that  he  may  seek  occasion  against  us,  and  fall  upon  us, 
and  take  us  for  bondmen,  and  our  asses."  And  they  came 
near  to  the  steward  of  Joseph's  house,  and  they  communed 
with  him  at  the  door  of  the  house,  and  said: 

"  O  sir,  we  came  indeed  down  at  the  first  time  to  buy  food; 
and  it  came  to  pass,  when  we  came  to  the  inn,  that  we  oj)ened 
our  sacks,  and,  behold,  every  man's  money  was  in  the  mouth 
of  his  sack,  our  money  in  full  weight ;  and  we  have  brought 
it  again  in  our  hand.  And  other  money  have  we  brought 
down  in  our  hands  to  buy  food;  we  cannot  tell  who  put  our 
money  in  our  sacks."  And  he  said: 

"Peace  be  to  you,  fear  not;  your  God,  and  the  God  of 
your  father,  hath  given  you  treasure  in  your  sacks;  I  had 
your  money."  And  he  brought  Simeon  out  unto  them.  And 
the  man  brought  the  men  into  Joseph's  house,  and  gave 
them  water,  and  they  washed  their  feet;  and  he  gave  their 
asses  provender.  And  they  made  ready  the  present  against 
Joseph  came  at  noon;  for  they  heard  that  they  should  eat 
bread  there. 

And  when  Joseph  came  home,  they  brought  him  the  pre- 

62 


THE  STORY  OF  JOSEPH 

sent  which  was  in  their  hand  into  the  house,  and  bowed  them- 
selves to  him  to  the  earth.  And  he  asked  them  of  their  wel- 
fare, and  said: 

"  Is  your  father  well,  the  old  man  of  whom  ye  spake  ?  Is 
he  yet  alive  ? "  And  they  answered : 

"  Thy  servant  our  father  is  in  good  health,  he  is  yet  alive." 
And  they  bowed  down  their  heads,  and  made  obeisance.  And 
he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  saw  his  brother  Benjamin,  his 
mother's  son,  and  said: 

"  Is  this  yoiu"  younger  brother,  of  whom  ye  spake  unto 
me  ? "  And  he  said,  "  God  be  gracious  unto  thee,  my  son." 
And  Joseph  made  haste ;  for  his  bowels  did  yearn  upon  his 
brother;  and  he  sought  where  to  weep;  and  he  entered  into 
his  chamber,  and  wept  there.  And  he  washed  his  face,  and 
went  out,  and  refrained  himself,  and  said,  "  Set  on  bread." 
And  they  set  on  for  him  by  himself,  and  for  them  by  them- 
selves, and  for  the  Egyptians,  which  did  eat  with  them,  by 
themselves ;  because  the  Egyptians  might  not  eat  bread  with 
the  Hebrews ;  for  that  is  an  abomination  unto  the  Egyptians. 
And  they  sat  before  him,  the  first-born  according  to  his 
birthright,  and  the  youngest  according  to  his  youth ;  and  the 
men  marvelled  one  at  another.  And  he  took  and  sent  messes 
unto  them  from  before  him;  but  Benjamin's  mess  was  five 
times  so  much  as  any  of  theirs.  And  they  drank,  and  were 
merry  with  him. 

And  he  commanded  the  steward  of  his  house,  saying; 

63 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

"  Fill  the  men's  sacks  with  food,  as  much  as  they  can  carry, 
and  put  every  man's  money  in  his  sack's  mouth.  And  put  my 
cup,  the  silver  cup,  in  the  sack's  mouth  of  the  youngest,  and 
his  corn  money.'^  And  he  did  according  to  the  word  that 
Joseph  had  spoken.  As  soon  as  the  morning  was  light,  the 
men  were  sent  away,  they  and  their  asses.  And  when  they 
were  gone  out  of  the  city,  and  not  yet  far  off,  Joseph  said 
unto  the  steward: 

"Up,  follow  after  the  men;  and  when  thou  dost  overtake 
them,  say  unto  them,  '  Wherefore  have  ye  rewarded  evil  for 
good  ?  Is  not  this  it  in  which  my  lord  drinketh,  and  whereby 
indeed  he  divineth  ?  ye  have  done  evil  in  so  doing.' " 

And  he  overtook  them,  and  he  spake  unto  them  these  same 
words.  And  they  said  unto  him : 

"Wherefore  saith  my  lord  these  words  ?  God  forbid  that 
thy  servants  should  do  according  to  this  thing.  Behold,  the 
money,  which  we  found  in  our  sacks'  mouths,  we  brought 
again  unto  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Canaan;  how  then  should 
we  steal  out  of  thy  lord's  house  silver  or  gold  ?  With  whom- 
soever of  thy  servants  it  be  found,  both  let  him  die,  and  we 
also  Avill  be  my  lord's  bondmen."  And  he  said : 

"  Xow  also  let  it  be  according  unto  your  words ;  he  with 
whom  it  is  found  shall  be  my  servant;  and  ye  shall  be  blame- 
less." Then  they  speedily  took  down  every  man  his  sack  to 
the  ground,  and  opened  every  man  his  sack.  And  he  searched, 
and  began  at  the  eldest,  and  left  at  the  youngest:  and  the 

64 


THE  STORY  OF  JOSEPH 

cup  was  found  in  Benjamin's  sack.  Then  they  rent  their 
clothes,  and  laded  every  man  his  ass,  and  returned  to  the  city. 

And  Judah  and  his  brethren  came  to  Joseph's  house,  for 
he  was  yet  there;  and  they  fell  before  him  on  the  ground. 
And  Joseph  said  unto  them : 

"What  deed  is  this  that  ye  have  done?  wot  ye  not  that 
such  a  man  as  I  can  certainly  divine  ?  "  And  Judah  said : 

"  What  shall  we  say  unto  my  lord  ?  what  shall  we  speak  ? 
or  how  shall  we  clear  ourselves  ?  God  hath  found  out  the 
iniquity  of  thy  servants;  behold,  we  are  my  lord's  servants, 
both  we,  and  he  also  with  whom  the  cup  is  found."  And  he 
said: 

"  God  forbid  that  I  should  do  so ;  but  the  man  in  whose 
hand  the  cup  is  found,  he  shall  be  my  servant;  and  as  for 
you,  get  you  up  in  peace  unto  your  father."  Then  Judah 
came  near  unto  him,  and  said: 

"  Oh  my  lord,  let  thy  servant,  I  pray  thee,  speak  a  word 
in  my  lord's  ears,  and  let  not  thine  anger  burn  against  thy 
servant,  for  thou  art  even  as  Pharaoh.  My  lord  asked  his 
servants,  saying,  ^  Have  ye  a  father,  or  a  brother  ? '  And  we 
said  unto  my  lord,  'We  have  a  father,  an  old  man,  and  a 
child  of  his  old  age,  a  little  one;  and  his  brother  is  dead,  and 
he  alone  is  left  of  his  mother,  and  his  father  loveth  him.'  And 
thou  saidst  unto  thy  servants,  'Bring  him  down  unto  me, 
that  I  may  set  mine  eyes  upon  him.'  And  we  said  unto  my 
lord,  '  The  lad  cannot  leave  his  father;  for  if  he  should  leave 

65 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

his  father,  his  father  would  die.'  And  thou  saidst  unto  thy 
servants,  'Except  your  youngest  brother  come  down  with 
you,  ye  shall  see  my  face  no  more.'  And  it  came  to  pass  when 
we  came  up  unto  thy  servant  my  father,  we  told  him  the 
words  of  my  lord.  And  our  father  said,  '  Go  again,  and  buy 
us  a  little  food.'  And  we  said,  'We  cannot  go  down:  if  our 
youngest  brother  be  with  us,  then  will  we  go  down,  for  we 
may  not  see  the  man's  face,  except  our  youngest  brother  be 
with  us.'  And  thy  servant  my  father  said  unto  us,  '  Ye  know 
that  my  wife  bare  me  two  sons;  and  the  one  went  out  from 
me,  and  I  said,  "Surely  he  is  torn  in  pieces";  and  I  saw  him 
not  since ;  and  if  ye  take  this  also  from  me,  and  mischief  be- 
fall him,  ye  shall  bring  down  my  gray  hairs  with  sorrow  to 
the  grave.'  Now  therefore  when  I  come  to  thy  servant  my 
father,  and  the  lad  be  not  with  us;  seeing  that  his  life  is 
bound  up  in  the  lad's  life,  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  he  seeth 
that  the  lad  is  not  with  us,  that  he  will  die,  and  thy  servants 
shall  bring  down  the  gray  hairs  of  thy  servant  our  father 
with  sorrow  to  the  grave.  For  thy  servant  became  surety 
for  the  lad  unto  my  father,  saying,  '  If  I  bring  him  not  unto 
thee,  then  I  shall  bear  the  blame  to  my  father  for  ever.' 
Now  therefore,  I  pray  thee,  let  thy  servant  abide  instead  of 
the  lad  a  bondman  to  my  lord;  and  let  the  lad  go  up  with  his 
brethren.  For  how  shall  I  go  up  to  my  father,  and  the  lad 
be  not  with  me  ?  lest  peradventure  I  see  the  evil  that  shall 
come  on  my  father." 

66 


JOSEPH    MAKING    HIMSELF    KNOWN    TO    HIS    BRETHREN 


THE  STORY   OF  JOSEPH 

Then  Joseph  could  not  refrain  himself  before  all  them 
that  stood  by  him ;  and  he  cried,  "  Cause  every  man  to  go  out 
from  me."  And  there  stood  no  man  with  him,  while  Joseph 
made  himself  known  mito  his  brethren.  And  he  wept  aloud; 
and  the  Egyptians  and  the  house  of  Pharaoh  heard.  And 
Joseph  said  unto  his  brethren: 

"  I  am  Joseph ;  doth  my  father  yet  live  ?"  And  his  brethren 
could  not  answer  him ;  for  they  were  troubled  at  his  presence. 
And  Joseph  said  unto  his  brethren,  "  Come  near  to  me,  I 
pray  you."  And  they  came  near.  And  he  said,  "  I  am  Joseph 
your  brother,  whom  ye  sold  into  Egypt.  Now  therefore  be 
not  grieved,  nor  angry  with  yourselves,  that  ye  sold  me 
hither,  for  God  did  send  me  before  you  to  preserve  life.  For 
these  two  years  hath  the  famine  been  in  the  land,  and  yet 
there  are  five  years,  in  the  which  there  shall  neither  be  ear- 
ing' nor  harvest.  And  God  sent  me  before  you  to  preserve 
you  a  posterity  in  the  earth,  and  to  save  your  lives  by  a  great 
deliverance.  So  now  it  was  not  you  that  sent  me  hither,  but 
God :  and  he  hath  made  me  a  father  to  Pharaoh,  and  lord  of 
all  his  house,  and  a  ruler  throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt. 
Haste  ye,  and  go  up  to  my  father,  and  say  unto  him,  '  Thus 
saith  thy  son  Joseph,  God  hath  made  me  lord  of  all  Egypt : 
come  down  unto  me,  tarry  not:  and  thou  shalt  dwell  in  the 
land  of  Goshen,  and  thou  shalt  be  near  unto  me,  thou,  and  thy 
children,  and  thy  children's  children,  and  thy  flocks,  and  thy 

1  Plowing. 

57 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

herds,  and  all  that  thou  hast;  and  there  will  I  nourish  thee; 
for  yet  there  are  five  years  of  famine;  lest  thou,  and  thy 
household,  and  all  that  thou  hast,  come  to  poverty.'  And,  be- 
hold, your  eyes  see,  and  the  eyes  of  my  brother  Benjamin, 
that  it  is  my  mouth  that  speaketh  unto  you.  Aoid  ye  shall 
tell  my  father  of  all  my  glory  in  Egypt,  and  of  all  that  ye 
have  seen;  and  ye  shall  haste  and  bring  down  my  father 
hither." 

And  he  fell  upon  his  brother  Benjamin's  neck,  and  wept; 
and  Benjamin  wept  upon  his  neck.  Moreover  he  kissed  all 
his  brethren,  and  wept  upon  them,  and  after  that  his  brethren 
talked  with  him. 

And  the  fame  thereof  was  heard  in  Pharaoh's  house,  say- 
ing, "Joseph's  brethren  are  come";  and  it  pleased  Pharaoh 
well,  and  his  servants.  And  Pharaoh  said  unto  Joseph : 

"  Say  unto  thy  brethren,  '  This  do  ye ;  lade  your  beasts, 
and  go,  get  you  unto  the  land  of  Canaan;  and  take  your 
father  and  your  households,  and  come  unto  me,  and  I  will 
give  you  the  good  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  ye  shall  eat  the 
fat  of  the  land.'  Now  thou  art  commanded,  this  do  ye;  take 
you  wagons  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  for  your  little  ones, 
and  for  your  wives,  and  bring  your  father,  and  come.  Also 
regard  not  your  stuff;  for  the  good  of  all  the  land  of  Egypt 
is  yours." 

And  the  children  of  Israel  did  so;  and  Joseph  gave  them 
wagons,  according  to  the  commandment  of  Pharaoh,  and 

58 


THE  STORY  OF  JOSEPH 

gave  them  provision  for  the  way.  To  all  of  them  he  gave 
each  man  changes  of  raiment;  but  to  Benjamin  he  gave  three 
hundred  pieces  of  silver,  and  five  changes  of  raiment.  And 
to  his  father  he  sent  after  this  manner;  ten  asses  laden  with 
the  good  things  of  Egypt,  and  ten  she  asses  laden  with  corn 
and  bread  and  meat  for  his  father  by  the  way.  So  he  sent 
his  brethren  away,  and  they  departed;  and  he  said  unto  them, 
"  See  that  ye  fall  not  out  by  the  way." 


7.     JACOB  GOES  DOWN  INTO  EGYPT 

And  they  went  up  out  of  Egypt,  and  came  into  the  land 
of  Canaan  unto  Jacob  their  father,  and  told  him,  saying, 
"Joseph  is  yet  alive,  and  he  is  governor  over  all  the  land  of 
Egypt."  And  Jacob's  heart  fainted,  for  he  believed  them 
not.  And  they  told  him  all  the  words  of  Joseph,  which  he 
had  said  unto  them.  And  when  he  saw  the  wagons  which 
Joseph  had  sent  to  carry  him,  the  spirit  of  Jacob  their  father 
revived,  and  Israel  said : 

"  It  is  enough ;  Joseph  my  son  is  yet  alive.  I  will  go  and 
see  him  before  I  die."  And  Israel  took  his  journey  with  all 
that  he  had,  and  came  to  Beer-sheba,  and  offered  sacrifices 
unto  the  God  of  his  father  Isaac.  And  God  spake  unto  Israel 
in  the  visions  of  the  night,  and  said: 

"  Jacob,  Jacob."  And  he  said : 

"Here  am  I."  And  he  said: 

59 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

"  I  am  God,  the  God  of  thy  father.  Fear  not  to  go  down 
into  Egypt,  for  I  will  there  make  of  thee  a  great  nation;  I 
will  go  down  with  thee  into  Egypt;  and  I  will  also  sin*ely 
bring  thee  up  again,  and  Joseph  shall  put  his  hand  upon 
thine  eyes." 

And  Jacob  rose  up  from  Beer-sheba;  and  the  sons  of 
Israel  carried  Jacob  their  father,  and  their  little  ones,  and 
their  wives,  in  the  wagons  which  Pharaoh  had  sent  to  carry 
him.  And  they  took  their  cattle,  and  their  goods,  which  they 
had  gotten  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  came  into  Egypt, 
Jacob,  and  all  his  seed  with  him :  his  sons,  and  his  sons'  sons 
with  him,  his  daughters,  and  his  sons'  daughters,  and  all  his 
seed  brought  he  with  him  into  Egypt. 

And  he  sent  Judah  before  him  unto  Joseph,  to  direct  his 
face  unto  Goshen;  and  they  came  into  the  land  of  Goshen. 
And  Joseph  made  ready  his  chariot,  and  went  up  to  meet 
Israel  his  father,  to  Goshen,  and  presented  himself  unto  him ; 
and  he  fell  on  his  neck,  and  wept  on  his  neck  a  good  while. 
And  Israel  said  unto  Joseph : 

"  Now  let  me  die,  since  I  have  seen  thy  face,  because  thou 
art  yet  ahve."  And  Joseph  said  unto  his  brethren,  and  unto 
his  father's  house : 

"  I  will  go  up,  and  shew  Pharaoh,  and  say  unto  him,  'My 
brethren,  and  my  father's  house,  which  were  in  the  land  of 
Canaan,  are  come  unto  me;  and  the  men  are  shepherds,  for 
their  trade  hath  been  to  feed  cattle ;  and  they  have  brought 

60 


THE   STORY   OF  JOSEPH 

their  flocks,  and  their  herds,  and  all  that  they  have.'  And  it 
shall  come  to  pass,  when  Pharaoh  shall  call  you,  and  shall 
say,  '  What  is  your  occupation  ? '  that  ye  shall  say,  '  Thy 
servants'  trade  hath  been  about  cattle  from  our  youth  even 
until  now,  both  we,  and  also  our  fathers ' :  that  ye  may  dwell 
in  the  land  of  Goshen ;  for  every  shepherd  is  an  abomination 
unto  the  Egyptians."  Then  Joseph  came  and  told  Pharaoh, 
and  said: 

"  My  father  and  my  brethren,  and  their  flocks,  and  their 
herds,  and  all  that  they  have,  are  come  out  of  the  land  of 
Canaan;  and,  behold,  they  are  in  the  land  of  Goshen."  And 
he  took  some  of  his  brethren,  even  five  men,  and  presented 
them  unto  Pharaoh.  And  Pharaoh  said  unto  his  brethren: 

"  What  is  your  occupation  ? "  And  they  said  unto  Pha- 
raoh : 

"  Thy  servants  are  shepherds,  both  we,  and  also  our  fa- 
thers." They  said  moreover  unto  Pharaoh,  "  For  to  sojourn 
in  the  land  are  we  come;  for  thy  servants  have  no  pasture 
for  their  flocks ;  for  the  famine  is  sore  in  the  land  of  Canaan : 
now  therefore,  we  pray  thee,  let  thy  servants  dwell  in  the 
land  of  Goshen."  And  Pharaoh  spake  unto  Joseph,  saying: 

"  Thy  father  and  thy  brethren  are  come  unto  thee :  the 
land  of  Egypt  is  before  thee;  in  the  best  of  the  land  make 
thy  father  and  brethren  to  dwell ;  in  the  land  of  Goshen  let 
them  dwell ;  and  if  thou  knowest  any  men  of  activity  among 
them,  then  make  them  rulers  over  my  cattle." 

61 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

And  Joseph  brought  in  Jacob  his  father,  and  set  him  be- 
fore Pharaoh;  and  Jacob  blessed  Pharaoh.  And  Pharaoh 
said  unto  Jacob: 

"  How  old  art  thou  ?  "  And  Jacob  said  unto  Pharaoh : 
^'  The  days  of  the  years  of  my  pilgrimage  are  an  hundred 
and  thirty  years.  Few  and  evil  have  the  days  of  the  years 
of  my  life  been,  and  have  not  attained  unto  the  days  of  the 
years  of  the  life  of  my  fathers  in  the  days  of  their  pilgrim- 
age." And  Jacob  blessed  Pharaoh,  and  went  out  from  before 
Pharaoh. 

8.     THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EGYPT 

And  Joseph  placed  his  father  and  his  brethren,  and  gave 
them  a  possession  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  in  the  best  of  the 
land,  in  the  land  of  Rameses,  as  Pharaoh  had  commanded. 
And  Jose23h  nourished  his  father,  and  his  brethren,  and  all 
his  father's  household,  with  bread,  according  to  their  fami- 
lies. 

And  there  was  no  bread  in  all  the  land;  for  the  famine 
was  very  sore,  so  that  the  land  of  Egypt  and  all  the  land  of 
Canaan  fainted  by  reason  of  the  famine.  And  Joseph  gath- 
ered up  all  the  money  that  was  found  in  the  land  of  Egypt, 
and  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  for  the  corn  which  they  bought; 
and  Joseph  brought  the  money  into  Pharaoh's  house.  And 
when  money  failed  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  in  the  land  of 
Canaan,  all  the  Egyptians  came  unto  Joseph,  and  said: 

62 


THE  STORY  OF  JOSEPH 

"  Give  us  bread,  for  why  should  we  die  in  thy  presence  ? 
for  the  money  f aileth."  And  Joseph  said ; 

"  Give  your  cattle,  and  I  will  give  you  for  your  cattle,  if 
money  fail."  And  they  brought  their  cattle  unto  Joseph; 
and  Joseph  gave  them  bread  in  exchange  for  horses,  and  for 
the  flocks,  and  for  the  cattle  of  the  herds,  and  for  the  asses; 
and  he  fed  them  wdth  bread  for  all  their  cattle  for  that  year. 
When  that  year  was  ended,  they  came  unto  him  the  second 
year,  and  said  unto  him : 

"  We  will  not  hide  it  from  my  lord,  how  that  our  money  is 
spent;  my  lord  also  hath  our  herds  of  cattle;  there  is  not 
aught  left  in  the  sight  of  my  lord,  but  our  bodies,  and  our 
lands.  Wherefore  shall  we  die  before  thine  eyes,  both  we 
and  our  land  ?  buy  us  and  our  land  for  bread,  and  we  and 
our  land  will  be  servants  unto  Pharaoh ;  and  give  us  seed, 
that  we  may  live,  and  not  die,  that  the  land  be  not  desolate." 

And  Joseph  bought  all  the  land  of  Egypt  for  Pharaoh; 
for  the  Egyptians  sold  every  man  his  field,  because  the  fam- 
ine prevailed  over  them.  So  the  land  became  Pharaoh's.  And 
as  for  the  people,  he  removed  them  to  cities  from  one  end  of 
the  borders  of  Egypt  even  to  the  other  end  thereof.  Only 
the  land  of  the  priests  bought  he  not;  for  the  priests  had  a 
portion  assigned  them  of  Pharaoh,  and  did  eat  their  portion 
which  Pharaoh  gave  them.  Wherefore  they  sold  not  their 
lands.  Then  Joseph  said  unto  the  people : 

"  Behold,  I  have  bought  you  this  day  and  your  land  for 

63 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

Pharaoh;  lo,  here  is  seed  for  you,  and  ye  shall  sow  the  land. 
And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  increase,  that  ye  shall  give 
the  fifth  part  unto  Pharaoh,  and  four  parts  shall  be  your 
own,  for  seed  of  the  field,  and  for  your  food,  and  for  them 
of  your  households,  and  for  food  for  your  little  ones."  And 
they  said: 

"  Thou  hast  saved  our  lives :  let  us  find  grace  in  the  sight 
of  my  lord,  and  we  will  be  Pharaoh's  servants."  And  Joseph 
made  it  a  law  over  the  land  of  Egypt  unto  this  day,  that 
Pharaoh  should  have  the  fifth  part;  except  the  land  of  the 
priests  only,  which  became  not  Pharaoh's. 

And  Israel  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  in  the  country  of 
Goshen;  and  they  had  possessions  therein,  and  grew,  and 
multiplied  exceedingly.  And  Jacob  lived  in  the  land  of 
Egypt  seventeen  years;  so  the  whole  age  of  Jacob  was  an 
hundred  forty  and  seven  years.  And  the  time  drew  nigh 
that  Israel  must  die,  and  he  called  his  son  Joseph,  and  said 
unto  him: 

"  If  now  I  have  found  grace  in  thy  sight,  put,  I  pray  thee, 
thy  hand  under  my  thigh,  and  deal  kindly  and  truly  with  me ; 
bury  me  not,  I  pray  thee,  in  Egypt;  but  I  will  lie  with  my 
fathers,  and  thou  shalt  carry  me  out  of  Egypt,  and  bury  me 
in  their  burying-place."   And  he  said: 

"  I  will  do  as  thou  hast  said."  And  he  said: 

"  Swear  unto  me."  And  he  sware  unto  him.  And  Israel 
bowed  himself  upon  the  bed's  head. 

64 


THE  STORY   OP  JOSEPH 


9.     THE  DEATH  OP  JACOB 


And  it  came  to  pass  after  these  things,  that  one  told  Jo- 
seph, "Behold,  thy  father  is  sick";  and  he  took  with  him 
his  two  sons,  Manasseh  and  Ephraim.  And  one  told  Jacob, 
and  said: 

"Behold,  thy  son  Joseph  cometh  unto  thee";  and  Israel 
strengthened  himself,  and  sat  upon  the  bed.  And  Jacob  said 
unto  Joseph: 

"  God  Almighty  appeared  unto  me  at  Luz  in  the  land  of 
Canaan,  and  blessed  me,  and  said  unto  me,  '  Behold,  I  will 
make  thee  fruitful,  and  multiply  thee,  and  I  will  make  of 
thee  a  multitude  of  people ;  and  will  give  this  land  to  thy 
seed  after  thee  for  an  everlasting  possession.'  And  now  thy 
two  sons,  Ephraim  and  Manasseh,  which  were  born  unto 
thee  in  the  land  of  Egypt  before  I  came  unto  thee  into 
Egypt,  are  mine ;  as  Reuben  and  Simeon,  they  shall  be  mine. 
And  thy  issue,  which  thou  begettest  after  them,  shall  be 
thine,  and  shall  be  called  after  the  name  of  their  brethren 
in  their  inheritance.  And  as  for  me,  when  I  came  from 
Padan,  Rachel  died  by  me  in  the  land  of  Canaan  in  the 
way,  when  yet  there  was  but  a  little  way  to  come  unto 
Ephrath:  and  I  buried  her  there  in  the  way  of  Ephrath; 
the  same  is  Bethlehem."  And  Israel  beheld  Joseph's  sons, 
and  said: 

"  Who  are  these  ?  "  And  Joseph  said  unto  his  father: 

65 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

"  They  are  my  sons,  whom  God  hath  given  me  in  this 
place."  And  he  said: 

"  Bring  them,  I  pray  thee,  unto  me,  and  I  will  bless  them." 
!Now  the  eyes  of  Israel  were  dim  for  age,  so  that  he  could 
not  see.  And  he  brought  them  near  unto  him;  and  he 
kissed  them,  and  embraced  them.  And  Israel  said  unto 
Joseph : 

"  I  had  not  thought  to  see  thy  face,  and,  lo,  God  hath 
shewed  me  also  thy  seed." 

And  Joseph  brought  them  out  from  between  his  knees, 
and  he  bowed  himself  with  his  face  to  the  earth.  And  Joseph 
took  them  both,  Ephraim  in  his  right  hand  toward  Israel's 
left  hand,  and  Manasseh  in  his  left  hand  toward  Israel's  right 
hand,  and  brought  them  near  unto  him.  And  Israel  stretched 
out  his  right  hand,  and  laid  it  upon  Ephraim's  head,  who 
was  the  younger,  and  his  left  hand  upon  Manasseh's  head, 
guiding  his  hands  wittingly;  for  Manasseh  was  the  firstborn. 
And  he  blessed  Joseph,  and  said: 

"  God,  before  whom  my  fathers  Abraham  and  Isaac  did 
walk,  the  God  which  fed  me  all  my  life  long  unto  this  day, 
the  Angel  which  redeemed  me  from  all  evil,  bless  the  lads; 
and  let  my  name  be  named  on  them,  and  the  name  of  my 
fathers  Abraham  and  Isaac ;  and  let  them  grow  into  a  multi- 
tude in  the  midst  of  the  earth."  And  when  Joseph  saw  that 
his  father  laid  his  right  hand  upon  the  head  of  Ephraim,  it 
displeased  him;  and  he  held  up  his  father's  hand,  to  remove 

66 


THE  STORY   OF  JOSEPH 

it  from  Ephraim's  head  unto  Manasseh's  head.  And  JosejDh 
said  unto  his  father: 

"Kot  so,  my  father,  for  this  is  the  firstborn;  put  thy 
right  hand  upon  his  head."  And  his  father  refused,  and 
said : 

"I  know  it,  my  son,  I  know  it;  he  also  shall  become  a 
people,  and  he  also  shall  be  great;  but  truly  his  younger 
brother  shall  be  greater  than  he,  and  his  seed  shall  become 
a  multitude  of  nations."  And  he  blessed  them  that  day,  say- 
ing, "  In  thee  shall  Israel  bless,  saying,  God  make  thee  as 
Ephraim  and  as  Manasseh";  and  he  set  Ephraim  before 
Manasseh.  And  Israel  said  unto  Joseph,  "Behold,  I  die; 
but  God  shall  be  with  you,  and  bring  you  again  unto  the 
land  of  your  fathers.  Moreover  I  have  given  to  thee  one 
portion  above  thy  brethren,  which  I  took  out  of  the  hand  of 
the  Amorite  with  my  sword  and  with  my  bow." 

And  Jacob  called  unto  his  sons  and  blessed  them;  every 
one  according  to  his  blessing  he  blessed  them.  And  he 
charged  them,  and  said  unto  them : 

"I  am  to  be  gathered  unto  my  people.  Bury  me  with  my 
fathers  in  the  cave  that  is  in  the  field  of  Ephron  the  Hittite, 
in  the  cave  that  is  in  the  field  of  Machpelah,  which  is  before 
Mamre,  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  which  Abraham  bought  with 
the  field  of  Ephron  the  Hittite  for  a  possession  of  a  burying- 
place.  There  they  buried  Abraham  and  Sarah  his  wife;  there 
they  buried  Isaac  and  Rebekah  his  wife ;  and  there  I  buried 

67 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

Leah.  The  purchase  of  the  field  and  of  the  cave  that  is 
therein  was  from  the  children  of  Heth." 

And  when  Jacob  had  made  an  end  of  commanding  his 
sons,  he  gathered  up  his  feet  into  the  bed,  and  yielded  up 
the  ghost,  and  was  gathered  unto  his  people. 

And  Joseph  fell  upon  his  father's  face,  and  wept  ujDon  him, 
and  kissed  him.  And  Joseph  commanded  his  servants  the 
physicians  to  embalm  his  father;  and  the  physicians  em- 
balmed Israel.  And  forty  days  were  fulfilled  for  him ;  for  so 
are  fulfilled  the  days  of  those  which  are  embalmed;  and  the 
Egyptians  mourned  for  him  threescore  and  ten  days.  And 
when  the  days  of  his  mourning  were  past,  Joseph  spake  unto 
the  house  of  Pharaoh,  saying : 

"  If  now  I  have  found  grace  in  your  eyes,  speak,  I  pray 
you,  in  the  ears  of  Pharaoh,  saying,  *My  father  made  me 
swear,  saying,  "Lo,  I  die:  in  my  grave  which  I  have  digged 
for  me  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  there  shalt  thou  bury  me.' 
ISTow  therefore  let  me  go  up,  I  pray  thee,  and  bury  my  father, 
and  I  will  come  again.'"  And  Pharaoh  said: 

"  Go  up,  and  bury  thy  father,  according  as  he  made  thee 
swear."  And  Joseph  went  up  to  bury  his  father;  and  with 
him  went  up  all  the  servants  of  Pharaoh,  the  elders  of  his 
house,  and  all  the  elders  of  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  all  the 
house  of  Joseph,  and  his  brethren,  and  his  father's  house; 
only  their  little  ones,  and  their  flocks,  and  their  herds,  they 
left  in  the  land  of  Goshen.  And  there  went  up  with  him  both 

68 


THE  STORY   OF  JOSEPH 

chariots  and  horsemen :  and  it  was  a  very  great  company. 
And  they  came  to  the  threshingfloor  of  Atad,  which  is  be- 
yond Jordan,  and  there  they  mourned  with  a  great  and  very 
sore  lamentation;  and  he  made  a  mourning  for  his  father 
seven  days.  And  when  the  inhabitants  of  the  land,  the  Ca- 
naanites,  saw  the  mourning  in  the  floor  of  Atad,  they  said, 
"  This  is  a  grievous  mourning  to  the  Egyptians  " ;  wherefore 
the  name  of  it  was  called  Abel-mizraim,  which  is  beyond 
Jordan.  And  his  sons  did  unto  him  according  as  he  com- 
manded them ;  for  his  sons  carried  him  into  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan, and  buried  him  in  the  cave  of  the  field  of  Machpelah, 
which  Abraham  bought  with  the  field  for  a  possession  of  a 
buryingplace  of  Ej)hron  the  Hittite,  before  Mamre. 

And  Joseph  returned  into  Egypt,  he,  and  his  brethren, 
and  all  that  went  up  with  him  to  bury  his  father,  after  he 
had  buried  his  father.  And  when  Joseph's  brethren  saw  that 
their  father  was  dead,  they  said : 

"  Joseph  will  peradventure  hate  us,  and  will  certainly  re- 
quite us  all  the  evil  which  we  did  unto  him."  And  they  sent 
a  messenger  unto  Joseph,  saying,  "  Thy  father  did  command 
before  he  died,  saying :  ^  So  shall  ye  say  unto  Joseph,  "  For- 
give, I  pray  thee  now,  the  trespass  of  thy  brethren,  and  their 
sin ;  for  they  did  unto  thee  evil." '  And  now,  we  pray  thee, 
forgive  the  trespass  of  the  servants  of  the  God  of  thy  father." 
And  Joseph  wept  when  they  spake  unto  him.  And  his  breth- 
ren also  went  and  fell  down  before  his  face;  and  they  said: 

69 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

"  Behold,  we  be  thy  servants."  And  Joseph  said  unto 
them: 

"  Fear  not;  for  am  I  in  the  place  of  God  ?  But  as  for  you, 
ye  thought  evil  against  me ;  but  God  meant  it  unto  good,  to 
bring  to  pass,  as  it  is  this  day,  to  save  much  people  alive. 
Now  therefore  fear  ye  not.  I  will  nourish  you,  and  your  little 
ones."  And  he  comforted  them,  and  spake  kindly  unto  them. 

And  Joseph  dwelt  in  Egypt,  he,  and  his  father's  house ;  and 
Joseph  lived  an  hundred  and  ten  years.  And  Joseph  saw 
Ephraim's  children  of  the  third  generation;  the  children  also 
of  Machir  the  son  of  Manasseh  were  brought  up  upon  Joseph's 
knees.  And  Joseph  said  unto  his  brethren: 

"  I  die ;  and  God  will  surely  visit  you,  and  bring  you  out 
of  this  land  unto  the  land  which  he  sware  to  Abraham,  to 
Isaac,  and  to  Jacob."  And  Joseph  took  an  oath  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  saying,  "  God  will  surely  visit  you,  and  ye 
shall  carry  up  my  bones  from  hence."  So  Joseph  died,  being 
an  hundred  and  ten  years  old.  And  they  embalmed  him,  and 
he  was  put  in  a  cofRn  in  Egypt. 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

1.   THE  ISRAELITES  IN  BONDAGE 

And  Joseph  died,  and  all  his  brethren,  and  all  that  gener- 
ation. And  the  children  of  Israel  increased  abundantly,  and 
waxed  exceeding  mighty;  and  the  land  was  filled  with  them. 
Xow  there  arose  up  a  new  king  over  Egypt,  which  knew  not 
Joseph.  And  he  said  unto  his  people: 

"  Behold,  the  people  of  the  children  of  Israel  are  more  and 
mightier  than  we;  come  on,  let  us  deal  wisely  with  them;  lest 
they  multiply,  and  it  come  to  pass,  that,  when  there  falleth 
out  any  war,  they  join  also  unto  our  enemies,  and  fight  against 
us,  and  so  get  them  up  out  of  the  land."  Therefore  they  did 
set  over  them  taskmasters  to  afflict  them  with  their  burdens. 
And  they  built  for  Pharaoh  treasure  cities,  Pithom  and  Raam- 
ses.  But  the  more  they  afflicted  them,  the  more  they  multi- 
plied  and  grew.  And  they  were  grieved  because  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel. 

And  the  Egy^ptians  made  the  children  of  Israel  to  serve 
with  rigor;  and  they  made  their  lives  bitter  with  hard  bond- 
age, in  mortar,  and  in  brick,  and  in  all  manner  of  service  in 
the  field.  All  their  service,  wherem  they  made  them  serve, 
was  with  rigor. 

71 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

2.   THE  CHILD  IN  THE  BULRUSHES 

And  Pharaoh  charged  all  his  people,  saying: 

"  Every  son  that  is  born  ye  shall  cast  into  the  river,  and 
every  daughter  ye  shall  save  alive."  And  there  went  a  man 
of  the  house  of  Levi,  and  took  to  wife  a  daughter  of  Levi. 
And  the  woman  bare  a  son ;  and  when  she  saw  him  that  he 
was  a  goodly  child,  she  hid  him  three  months.  And  when  she 
could  not  longer  hide  him,  she  took  for  him  an  ark  of  bul- 
rushes, and  daubed  it  with  slime  and  with  pitch,  and  put  the 
child  therein;  and  she  laid  it  in  the  flags  by  the  river's  brink. 
And  his  sister  stood  afar  off,  to  wit  what  would  be  done  to 
him. 

And  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh  came  down  to  wash  herself 
at  the  river;  and  her  maidens  walked  along  by  the  river's 
side;  and  when  she  saw  the  ark  among  the  flags,  she  sent  her 
maid  to  fetch  it.  And  when  she  had  opened  it,  she  saw  the 
child ;  and,  behold,  the  babe  wept.  And  she  had  compassion 
on  him  and  said: 

"  This  is  one  of  the  Hebrews'  children."  Then  said  his 
sister  to  Pharaoh's  daughter: 

"  Shall  I  go  and  call  to  thee  a  nurse  of  the  Hebrew  women, 
that  she  may  nurse  the  child  for  thee  ? "  And  Pharaoh's 
daughter  said  to  her : 

"  Go."  And  the  maid  went  and  called  the  child's  mother. 
And  Pharaoh's  daughter  said  unto  her: 

72 


THE   EMIGRATION   OF   THE  ISRAELITES 

"  Take  this  child  away,  and  nurse  it  for  me,  and  I  will  give 
thee  thy  wages."  And  the  woman  took  the  child,  and  nursed 
it.  And  the  child  grew,  and  she  brought  him  unto  Pha- 
raoh's daughter,  and  he  became  her  son.  And  she  called 
his  name  Moses;  and  she  said,  "Because  I  drew  him  out  of 
the  water." 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  when  Moses  was  grown, 
that  he  went  out  unto  his  brethren,  and  looked  on  their  bur- 
dens; and  he  spied  an  Egyptian  smiting  an  Hebrew,  one  of 
his  brethren.  And  he  looked  this  way  and  that  way,  and  when 
he  saw  that  there  was  no  man,  he  slew  the  Egyptian,  and 
hid  him  in  the  sand.  And  when  he  went  out  the  second  day, 
behold,  two  men  of  the  Hebrews  strove  together;  and  he  said 
to  him  that  did  the  wrong: 

"  Wherefore  smitest  thou  thy  fellow  ?  "  And  he  said : 

"Who  made  thee  a  prince  and  a  judge  over  us?  intendest 
thou  to  kill  me,  as  thou  killedst  the  Egyptian?  "  And  Moses 
feared,  and  said,  "  Surely  this  thing  is  known." 

Now  when  Pharaoh  heard  this  thing,  he  sought  to  slay 
Moses.  But  Moses  fled  from  the  face  of  Pharaoh,  and  dwelt 
in  the  land  of  Midian;  and  he  sat  down  by  a  well.  ]N'ow  the 
priest  of  Midian  had  seven  daughters;  and  they  came  and 
drew  water,  and  filled  the  troughs  to  water  their  father's  flock. 
And  the  shepherds  came  and  drove  them  away;  but  Moses 
stood  up  and  helped  them,  and  watered  their  flock.  And 
when  they  came  to  Reuel  their  father,  he  said : 

73 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

"  How  is  it  that  ye  are  come  so  soon  to-day?  "  And  they  said : 

"An  Egyptian  dehvered  us  out  of  the  hand  of  the  shep- 
herds, and  also  drew  water  enough  for  us,  and  watered  the 
flock."  And  he  said  unto  his  daughters: 

"And  where  is  he?  why  is  it  that  ye  have  left  the  man? 
call  him,  that  he  may  eat  bread."  And  Moses  was  content  to 
dwell  with  the  man;  and  he  gave  Moses  Zipporah  his  daugh- 
ter. And  she  bare  him  a  son,  and  he  called  his  name  Ger- 
shom,  for  he  said,  "I  have  been  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land." 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  process  of  time,  that  the  king  of 
Egypt  died;  and  the  children  of  Israel  sighed  by  reason  of 
the  bondage,  and  they  cried,  and  their  cry  came  up  unto  God 
by  reason  of  the  bondage.  And  God  heard  their  groaning, 
and  God  remembered  his  covenant  with  Abraham,  with  Isaac, 
and  with  Jacob.  And  God  looked  upon  the  children  of  Israel, 
and  God  had  respect  unto  them. 

3.     THE  BURNING  BUSH 

^Now  Moses  kept  the  flock  of  Jethro  his  father  in  law,  the 
priest  of  Midian;  and  he  led  the  flock  to  the  backside  of 
the  desert,  and  came  to  the  mountain  of  God,  even  to  Horeb. 
And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto  him  in  a  flame  of 
fire  out  of  the  midst  of  a  bush;  and  he  looked,  and,  behold, 
the  bush  burned  with  fire,  and  the  bush  was  not  consumed. 
And  Moses  said; 

74 


THE  EMIGRATION   OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

"  I  will  now  turn  aside,  and  see  this  great  sight,  why  the 
bush  is  not  burnt."  And  when  the  Lord  saw  that  he  turned 
aside  to  see,  God  called  unto  him  out  of  the  midst  of  the 
bush,  and  said: 

"Moses,  Moses."  And  he  said: 

"Here  am  I."  And  he  said: 

"Draw  not  nigh  hither;  put  off  thy  shoes  from  off  thy 
feet,  for  the  place  whereon  thou  standest  is  holy  ground." 
Moreover  he  said,  "  I  am  the  God  of  thy  father,  the  God  of 
Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob."  And 
Moses  hid  his  face,  for  he  was  afraid  to  look  upon  God. 
And  the  Lord  said,  "I  have  surely  seen  the  affliction  of 
my  people  which  are  in  Egypt,  and  have  heard  their  cry  by 
reason  of  their  taskmasters,  for  I  know  their  sorrows;  and  I 
am  come  down  to  deliver  them  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Egyp- 
tians, and  to  bring  them  up  out  of  that  land  unto  a  good  land 
and  a  large,  unto  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey;  unto 
the  place  of  the  Canaanites,  and  the  Hittites,  and  the  Amor- 
ites,  and  the  Perizzites,  and  the  Hivites,  and  the  Jebusites. 
Now  therefore,  behold,  the  cry  of  the  children  of  Israel  is 
come  unto  me ;  and  I  have  also  seen  the  oppression  where- 
with the  Egyptians  oppress  them.  Come  now  therefore,  and 
I  will  send  thee  unto  Pharaoh,  that  thou  mayest  bring  forth 
my  people  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egyj)t."  And  Moses 
said  unto  God: 

"Who  am  I,  that  I  should  go  unto  Pharaoh,  and  that  I 

75 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

should  bring  forth  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  EgyjDt?  "  And 
he  said: 

"Certainly  I  will  be  with  thee;  and  this  shall  be  a  token 
unto  thee,  that  I  have  sent  thee :  when  thou  hast  brought 
forth  the  people  out  of  Egypt,  ye  shall  serve  God  upon  this 
mountain."  And  Moses  said  unto  God: 

"Behold,  when  I  come  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  and 
shall  say  unto  them,  '  The  God  of  your  fathers  hath  sent  me 
unto  you';  and  they  shall  say  to  me,  'What  is  his  name?' 
what  shall  I  say  unto  them?"  And  God  said  unto  Moses: 

"I  AM  THAT  I  am":  and  he  said: 

"  Thus  shalt  thou  say  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  '  I  AM 
hath  sent  me  unto  you.'"  And  God  said  moreover  unto 
Moses,  "Thus  shalt  thou  say  unto  the  children  of  Israel, 
'  The  Lord  God  of  your  fathers,  the  God  of  Abraham,  the 
God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob,  hath  sent  me  unto  you; 
this  is  my  name  forever,  and  this  is  my  memorial  unto  all 
generations.'  Go,  and  gather  the  elders  of  Israel  together, 
and  say  unto  them,  '  The  Lord  God  of  your  fathers,  the  God 
of  Abraham,  of  Isaac,  and  of  Jacob,  appeared  unto  me,  say- 
ing, "  I  have  surely  visited  you,  and  seen  that  which  is  done 
to  you  in  Egypt;  and  I  have  said,  I  will  bring  you  up  out  of 
the  affliction  of  Egypt  unto  the  land  of  the  Canaanites,  and 
the  Hittites,  and  the  Amorites,  and  the  Perizzites,  and  the 
Hivites,  and  the  Jebusites,  unto  a  land  flowing  with  milk 
and  honey." '  And  they  shall  hearken  to  thy  voice :  and  thou 

76 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

shalt  come,  thou  and  the  elders  of  Israel,  unto  the  king  of 
Egypt,  and  ye  shall  say  unto  him,  ^  The  Lord  God  of  the  He- 
brews hath  met  with  us ;  and  now  let  us  go,  we  beseech  thee, 
three  days'  journey  into  the  wilderness,  that  we  may  sacrifice 
to  the  Lord  our  God.'  And  I  am  sure  that  the  king  of  Egypt 
will  not  let  you  go,  no,  not  by  a  mighty  hand.  And  I  will 
stretch  out  my  hand,  and  smite  Egypt  with  all  my  wonders 
w^hich  I  will  do  in  the  midst  thereof;  and  after  that  he  will 
let  you  go.  And  I  will  give  this  people  favour  in  the  sight 
of  the  Egyptians;  and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that,  when  ye 
go,  ye  shall  not  go  empty;  but  every  woman  shall  borrow  of 
her  neighbour,  and  of  her  that  sojourneth  in  her  house,  jewels 
of  silver,  and  jewels  of  gold,  and  raiment.  And  ye  shall  put 
them  upon  your  sons,  and  upon  your  daughters ;  and  ye  shall 
spoil  the  Egyptians."  And  Moses  answered  and  said : 

"  But,  behold,  they  will  not  believe  me,  nor  hearken  unto 
my  voice ;  for  they  will  say,  ^  The  Lord  hath  not  appeared 
unto  thee.'"  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him: 

"AVhat  is  that  in  thine  hand?"  And  he  said: 

"A  rod."  And  he  said: 

"Cast  it  on  the  ground."  And  he  cast  it  on  the  ground, 
and  it  became  a  serpent;  and  Moses  fled  from  before  it.  And 
the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  *'  Put  forth  thine  hand,  and  take 
it  by  the  tail."  And  he  put  forth  his  hand,  and  caught  it,  and 
it  became  a  rod  in  his  hand:  "That  they  may  believe  that 
the  Lord  God  of  their  fathers,  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God 

77 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob,  hath  appeared  unto  thee." 
And  the  Lord  said  furthermore  unto  him,  "Put  now  thine 
hand  into  thy  bosom."  And  he  put  his  hand  into  his  bosom; 
and  when  he  took  it  out,  behold,  his  hand  was  leprous  as 
snow.  And  he  said,  "  Put  thine  hand  into  thy  bosom  again." 
And  he  put  his  hand  into  his  bosom  again ;  and  plucked  it 
out  of  his  bosom,  and,  behold,  it  was  turned  again  as  his  other 
flesh.  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  if  they  will  not  believe 
thee,  neither  hearken  to  the  voice  of  the  first  sign,  that  they 
will  believe  the  voice  of  the  latter  sign.  And  it  shall  come  to 
pass,  if  they  will  not  beheve  also  these  two  signs,  neither 
hearken  unto  thy  voice,  that  thou  shalt  take  of  the  water  of 
the  river,  and  pour  it  upon  the  dry  land;  and  the  water  which 
thou  takest  out  of  the  river  shall  become  blood  upon  the  dry 
land."  And  Moses  said  unto  the  Lord: 

"O  my  Lord,  I  am  not  eloquent,  neither  heretofore,  nor 
since  thou  hast  spoken  unto  thy  servant;  but  I  am  slow  of 
speech,  and  of  a  slow  tongue."  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him: 

"Who  hath  made  man's  mouth?  or  who  maketh  the  dumb, 
or  deaf,  or  the  seeing,  or  the  blind?  have  not  I  the  Lord? 
Kow  therefore  go,  and  I  will  be  with  thy  mouth,  and  teach 
thee  what  thou  shalt  say."  And  he  said: 

"O  my  Lord,  send,  I  pray  thee,  by  the  hand  of  him  whom 
thou  wilt  send."  And  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  kindled 
against  Moses,  and  he  said: 

*^  Is  not  Aaron  the  Levite  thy  brother  ?  I  know  that  he  can 

78 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

speak  well.  And  also,  behold,  he  cometh  forth  to  meet  thee ; 
and  when  he  seeth  thee,  he  will  be  glad  in  his  heart.  And 
thou  shalt  speak  unto  him,  and  put  words  in  his  mouth;  and 
I  will  be  with  thy  mouth,  and  with  his  mouth,  and  will  teach 
you  what  ye  shall  do.  And  he  shall  be  thy  spokesman  unto 
the  people;  and  he  shall  be,  even  he  shall  be  to  thee  instead 
of  a  mouth,  and  thou  shalt  be  to  him  instead  of  God.  And 
thou  shalt  take  this  rod  in  thine  hand,  wherewith  thou  shalt 
do  signs."  And  Moses  went  and  returned  to  Jethro  his  father 
in  law,  and  said  unto  him : 

"Let  me  go,  I  pray  thee,  and  return  unto  my  brethren 
which  are  in  Egypt,  and  see  whether  they  be  yet  alive." 
And  Jethro  said  to  Moses : 

"  Go  in  peace."  And  the  Lord  said  imto  Moses  in  Midian : 

"Go,  return  into  Egypt;  for  all  the  men  are  dead  which 
sought  thy  life."  And  Moses  took  his  wife  and  his  sons,  and 
set  them  upon  an  ass,  and  he  returned  to  the  land  of  Egypt. 
And  Moses  took  the  rod  of  God  in  his  hand.  And  the  Lord 
said  unto  Moses: 

"  When  thou  goest  to  return  into  Egypt,  see  that  thou  do 
all  those  wonders  before  Pharaoh,  which  I  have  put  in  thine 
hand;  but  I  will  harden  his  heart,  that  he  shall  not  let  the 
people  go.  And  thou  shalt  say  unto  Pharaoh,  ^  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  "  Israel  is  my  son,  even  my  firstborn ;  and  I  say  unto 
thee.  Let  my  son  go,  that  he  may  serve  me;  and  if  thou 
refuse  to  let  him  go,  behold,  I  will  slay  thy  son,  even  thy  fii*st- 

79 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

born." ' "  And  the  Lord  said  to  Aaron,  "  Go  into  the  wil- 
derness to  meet  Moses."  And  he  went,  and  met  him  in  the 
mount  of  God,  and  kissed  him.  And  Moses  told  Aaron  all 
the  words  of  the  Lord  who  had  sent  him,  and  all  the  signs 
which  he  had  commanded  him. 

And  Moses  and  Aaron  went  and  gathered  together  all 
the  elders  of  the  children  of  Israel.  And  Aaron  spake  all  the 
words  which  the  Lord  had  spoken  unto  Moses,  and  did  the 
signs  in  the  sight  of  the  people.  And  the  people  beheved; 
and  when  they  heard  that  the  Lord  had  visited  the  children 
of  Israel,  and  that  he  had  looked  upon  their  affliction,  then 
they  bowed  their  heads  and  worshipped. 

4.  THE  SUFFERINGS  OF  THE  CHILDREN  OF  ISRAEL 

And  afterward  Moses  and  Aaron  went  in,  and  told  Pharaoh : 

"  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  '  Let  my  peojDle  go, 
that  they  may  hold  a  feast  unto  me  in  the  wilderness.' "  And 
Pharaoh  said: 

"  Who  is  the  Lord,  that  I  should  obey  his  voice  to  let  Israel 
go  ?  I  know  not  the  Lord,  neither  will  I  let  Israel  go."  And 
they  said : 

"The  God  of  the  Hebrews  hath  met  with  us;  let  us  go, 
we  pray  thee,  three  days' journey  into  the  desert,  and  sacrifice 
imto  the  Lord  our  God;  lest  he  fall  upon  us  with  pestilence, 
or  .with  the  sword."  And  the  king  of  Egypt  said  unto  them: 

80 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

"  Wherefore  do  ye,  Moses  and  Aaron,  let  the  people  from 
their  works?  get  you  unto  your  burdens."  Ajid  Pharaoh  said : 
"  Behold,  the  people  of  the  land  now  are  many,  and  ye  make 
them  rest  from  their  burdens."  And  Pharaoh  commanded 
the  same  day  the  taskmasters  of  the  people,  and  their  officers, 
saying,  "  Ye  shall  no  more  give  the  people  straw  to  make 
brick,  as  heretofore.  Let  them  go  and  gather  straw  for  them- 
selves. And  the  tale  of  the  bricks,  which  they  did  make  here- 
tofore, ye  shall  lay  upon  them;  ye  shall  not  diminish  aught 
thereof,  for  they  be  idle ;  therefore  they  cry,  saying,  '  Let  us 
go  and  sacrifice  to  our  God.'  Let  there  more  work  be  laid 
upon  the  men,  that  they  may  labour  therein;  and  let  them  not 
regard  vain  words."  And  the  taskmasters  of  the  people  went 
out,  and  their  officers,  and  they  spake  to  the  people,  saying: 

"  Thus  saith  Pharaoh,  ^I  will  not  give  you  straw.'  Go  ye, 
get  you  straw  w^here  ye  can  find  it :  yet  not  aught  of  your 
work  shall  be  diminished."  So  the  people  were  scattered 
abroad  throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt  to  gather  stubble 
instead  of  straw.  And  the  taskmasters  hasted  them,  saying: 

"  Fulfil  your  works,  your  daily  tasks,  as  when  there  was 
straw."  And  the  officers  of  the  children  of  Israel,  which 
Pharaoh's  taskmasters  had  set  over  them,  were  beaten,  and 
demanded,  "  Wherefore  have  ye  not  fulfilled  your  task  in 
making  brick  both  yesterday  and  to-day,  as  heretofore  ? " 
Then  the  officers  of  the  children  of  Israel  came  and  cried 
unto  Pharaoh,  saying: 

81 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

"  Wherefore  dealest  thou  thus  with  thy  servants  ?  There  is 
no  straw  given  unto  thy  servants,  and  they  say  to  us, '  Make 
brick ' ;  and,  behold,  thy  servants  are  beaten ;  but  the  fault  is 
in  thine  own  people."  But  he  said: 

"  Ye  are  idle,  ye  are  idle;  therefore  ye  say,  'Let  us  go  and 
do  sacrifice  to  the  Lord.'  Go  therefore  now,  and  work;  for 
there  shall  no  straw  be  given  you,  yet  shall  ye  deliver  the 
tale  of  bricks."  And  the  officers  of  the  children  of  Israel  did 
see  that  they  were  in  evil  case,  after  it  was  said,  "  Ye  shall 
not  niinish  aught  from  your  bricks  of  your  daily  task."  And 
they  met  Moses  and  Aaron,  who  stood  in  the  way,  as  they 
came  forth  from  Pharaoh;  and  they  said  unto  them: 

"The  Lord  look  upon  you,  and  judge;  because  ye  have 
made  our  savour  to  be  abhorred  in  the  eyes  of  Pharaoh,  and 
in  the  eyes  of  his  servants,  to  put  a  sword  in  their  hand  to 
slay  us." 

5.   THE  MIRACLE   OF  THE  RODS 

And  Moses  returned  unto  the  Lord,  and  said : 
"  Lord,  wherefore  hast  thou  so  evil  entreated  this  people? 
why  is  it  that  thou  hast  sent  me?  For  since  I  came  to  Pha- 
raoh to  speak  in  thy  name,  he  hath  done  evil  to  this  people; 
neither  hast  thou  delivered  thy  people  at  all."  Then  the  Lord 
said  unto  Moses : 

"  Now  shalt  thou  see  what  I  will  do  to  Pharaoh ;  for  with 
a  strong  hand  shall  he  let  them  go,  and  with  a  strong  hand 

82 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

shall  he  drive  them  out  of  his  land."  And  God  spake  unto 
Moses,  and  said  unto  him,  "I  am  the  Lord;  and  I  appeared 
unto  Abraham,  unto  Isaac,  and  unto  Jacob,  by  the  name  of 
God  Almighty,  but  by  my  name  Jehovah  was  I  not  known 
to  them.  And  I  have  also  established  my  covenant  with  them, 
to  give  them  the  land  of  Canaan,  the  land  of  their  pilgrim- 
age, wherein  they  were  strangers.  And  I  have  also  heard  the 
groaning  of  the  children  of  Israel,  whom  the  Egyptians  keep 
in  bondage;  and  I  have  remembered  my  covenant.  Where- 
fore say  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  *  I  am  the  Lord,  and  I 
will  bring  you  out  from  under  the  burdens  of  the  Egyptians, 
and  I  will  rid  you  out  of  their  bondage,  and  I  will  redeem 
you  with  a  stretched  out  arm,  and  with  great  judgments; 
and  I  will  take  you  to  me  for  a  people,  and  I  will  be  to  you 
a  God;  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  your  God, 
which  bringeth  you  out  from  under  the  burdens  of  the  Egyp- 
tians. And  I  will  bring  you  in  unto  the  land,  concerning  the 
which  I  did  swear  to  give  it  to  Abraham,  to  Isaac,  and  to 
Jacob;  and  I  will  give  it  you  for  an  heritage.  I  am  the 
Lord.' " 

And  Moses  spake  so  unto  the  children  of  Israel ;  but  they 
hearkened  not  unto  Moses  for  anguish  of  spirit,  and  for  cruel 
bondage.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying: 

"  Go  in,  speak  unto  Pharaoh  king  of  Egypt,  that  he  let 
the  children  of  Israel  go  out  of  his  land."  And  Moses  spake 
before  the  Lord,  saying: 

83 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

"  Behold,  the  children  of  Israel  have  not  hearkened  unto 
me;  how  then  shall  Pharaoh  hear  me  ?"  And  the  Lord  said 
imto  Moses : 

"  See,  I  have  made  thee  a  god  to  Pharaoh,  and  Aaron  thy 
brother  shall  be  thy  prophet.  Thou  shalt  speak  all  that  I 
command  thee;  and  Aaron  thy  brother  shall  speak  unto 
Pharaoh,  that  he  send  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  his  land. 
And  I  will  harden  Pharaoh's  heart,  and  multiply  my  signs 
and  my  wonders  in  the  land  of  Egypt.  But  Pharaoh  shall  not 
hearken  unto  you,  that  I  may  lay  my  hand  upon  Egypt,  and 
bring  forth  mine  armies,  and  my  people  the  children  of  Israel, 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  by  great  judgments.  And  the 
Egyptians  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  when  I  stretch 
forth  mine  hand  upon  Egypt,  and  bring  out  the  children  of 
Israel  from  among  them."  And  Moses  and  Aaron  did  as  the 
Lord  commanded  them,  so  did  they.  And  Moses  was  four- 
score years  old,  and  Aaron  fourscore  and  three  years  old, 
when  they  spake  unto  Pharaoh.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses  and  unto  Aaron,  saying :  "  When  Pharaoh  shall  speak 
unto  you,  saying,  '  Shew  a  miracle  for  you; '  then  thou  shalt 
say  unto  Aaron,  *  Take  thy  rod,  and  cast  it  before  Pharaoh,' 
and  it  shall  become  a  serpent." 

And  Moses  and  Aaron  went  in  unto  Pharaoh,  and  they  did 
so  as  the  Lord  had  commanded;  and  Aaron  cast  down  his 
rod  before  Pharaoh  and  before  his  servants,  and  it  became 
a  aerpent.  Then  Pharaoh  also  called  the  wise  men  and  the 

84 


THE  EMIGRATION   OF   THE  ISRAELITES 

sorcerers.  N"ow  the  magicians  of  Egypt,  they  also  did  in  hke 
manner  with  their  enchantments.  For  they  cast  down  every 
man  his  rod,  and  they  became  serpents;  but  Aaron's  rod 
swallowed  up  their  rods.  And  he  hardened  Pharaoh's  heart, 
that  he  hearkened  not  unto  them,  as  the  Lord  had  said. 


6.   THE  PLAGUES   OF  EGYPT 

And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses: 

"  Pharaoh's  heart  is  hardened,  he  ref  useth  to  let  the  people 
go.  Get  thee  unto  Pharaoh  in  the  morning;  lo,  he  goethout 
unto  the  water;  and  thou  shalt  stand  by  the  river's  brink 
against  he  come ;  and  the  rod  which  was  turned  to  a  serpent 
shalt  thou  take  in  thine  hand.  And  thou  shalt  say  mito  him, 
'The  Lord  God  of  the  Hebrews  hath  sent  me  unto  thee,  say- 
ing, "  Let  my  people  go,  that  they  may  serve  me  in  the  wil- 
derness"; and,  behold,  hitherto  thou  wouldest  not  hear. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord,  "In  this  thou  shalt  know  that  I  am  the 
Lord;  behold,  I  will  smite  with  the  rod  that  is  in  mine  hand 
upon  the  waters  which  are  in  the  river,  and  they  shall  be 
turned  to  blood."  And  the  fish  that  is  in  the  river  shall  die, 
and  the  river  shall  stink;  and  the  Egyptians  shall  lothe  to 
drink  of  the  water  of  the  river.'  "  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses : 

"Say  unto  Aaron,  'Take  thy  rod,  and  stretch  out  thine 
hand  upon  the  waters  of  Egypt,  upon  their  streams,  upon 

85 


IN   EARLIEST   TIMES 

their  rivers,  and  upon  their  ponds,  and  upon  all  their  pools 
of  water,  that  they  may  become  blood ;  and  that  there  may  be 
blood  throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt,  both  in  vessels  of 
wood,  and  in  vessels  of  stone.' " 

And  Moses  and  Aaron  did  so,  as  the  Lord  commanded; 
and  he  lifted  up  the  rod,  and  smote  the  waters  that  were  in 
the  river,  in  the  sight  of  Pharaoh,  and  in  the  sight  of  his 
servants;  and  all  the  waters  that  were  in  the  river  were 
turned  to  blood.  And  the  fish  that  was  in  the  river  died;  and 
the  river  stank,  and  the  Egyptians  could  not  drink  of  the 
water  of  the  river;  and  there  was  blood  throughout  all  the 
land  of  Egypt. 

And  the  magicians  of  Egypt  did  so  with  their  enchant- 
ments; and  Pharaoh's  heart  was  hardened,  neither  did  he 
hearken  unto  them;  as  the  Lord  had  said.  And  Pharaoh 
turned  and  went  into  his  house,  neither  did  he  set  his  heart 
to  this  also.  And  all  the  Egyptians  digged  round  about  the 
river  for  water  to  drink;  for  they  could  not  drink  of  the 
water  of  the  river.  And  seven  days  were  fulfilled,  after  that 
the  Lord  had  smitten  the  river.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses: 

"  Go  imto  Pharaoh,  and  say  unto  him,  '  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  let  my  people  go,  that  they  may  serve  me.  And  if 
thou  refuse  to  let  them  go,  behold,  I  will  smite  all  thy  bor- 
ders with  frogs;  and  the  river  shall  bring  forth  frogs  abun- 
dajitly,  which  shall  go  up  and  come  into  thine  house,  and  into 

86 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

thy  bedchamber,  and  upon  thy  bed,  and  into  the  house  of  thy 
servants,  and  upon  thy  people,  and  into  thine  ovens,  and  into 
thy  kneadingtroughs ;  and  the  frogs  shall  come  up  both  on 
thee,  and  upon  thy  people,  and  upon  all  thy  servants.'  "  And 
the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses :  "  Say  unto  Aaron, '  Stretch  forth 
thine  hand  with  thy  rod  over  the  streams,  over  the  rivers, 
and  over  the  ponds,  and  cause  frogs  to  come  up  upon  the 
land  of  Egypt.' " 

And  Aaron  stretched  out  his  hand  over  the  waters  of 
Egypt;  and  the  frogs  came  up,  and  covered  the  land  of  Egypt. 
And  the  magicians  did  so  with  their  enchantments,  and 
brought  up  frogs  upon  the  land  of  Egypt.  Then  Pharaoh 
called  for  Moses  and  Aaron,  and  said: 

"  Intreat  the  Lord,  that  he  may  take  away  the  frogs  from 
me,  and  from  my  people;  and  I  will  let  the  people  go,  that 
they  may  do  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord."  And  Moses  said  unto 
Pharaoh : 

"  Glory  over  me ;  when  shall  I  intreat  for  thee,  and  for  thy 
servants,  and  for  thy  people,  to  destroy  the  frogs  from  thee 
and  thy  houses,  that  they  may  remain  in  the  river  only  ? " 
And  he  said: 

"To-morrow."  And  he  said: 

"  Be  it  according  to  thy  word;  that  thou  may  est  know  that 
there  is  none  like  unto  the  Lord  our  God.  And  the  frogs 
shall  depart  from  thee,  and  from  thy  houses,  and  from  thy 
servants,  and  from  thy  people ;  they  shall  remain  in  the  river 

87 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

only."  And  Moses  and  Aaron  went  out  from  Pharaoh;  and 
Moses  cried  unto  the  Lord  because  of  the  frogs  which  he 
had  brought  against  Pharaoh.  And  the  Lord  did  according 
to  the  word  of  Moses.  And  the  frogs  died  out  of  the  houses, 
out  of  the  villages,  and  out  of  the  fields.  And  they  gathered 
them  together  upon  heaps :  and  the  land  stank.  But  when 
Pharaoh  saw  that  there  was  respite,  he  hardened  his  heart, 
and  hearkened  not  unto  them;  as  the  Lord  had  said.  And 
the  Lord  said  unto  Moses : 

"  Say  unto  Aaron,  '  Stretch  out  thy  rod,  and  smite  the  dust 
of  the  land,  that  it  may  become  lice  throughout  alt  the 
land  of  Egypt.' "  And  they  did  so ;  for  Aaron  stretched  out 
his  hand  with  his  rod,  and  smote  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and 
it  became  lice  in  man,  and  in  beast;  all  the  dust  of  the  land 
became  lice  throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  the  ma- 
gicians did  so  with  their  enchantments  to  bring  forth  lice, 
but  they  could  not;  so  there  were  lice  upon  man,  and  upon 
beast.  Then  the  magicians  said  unto  Pharaoh : 

"This  is  the  finger  of  God";  and  Pharaoh's  heart  was 
hardened,  and  he  hearkened  not  unto  them;  as  the  Lord  had 
said.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses : 

"  Pise  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  stand  before  Pharaoh ; 
lo,  he  Cometh  forth  to  the  water;  and  say  unto  him,  'Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  Let  my  people  go,  that  they  may  serve 
me.  Else,  if  thou  wilt  not  let  my  people  go,  behold,  I  will 
send  swarms  of  flies  upon  thee,  and  upon  thy  servants,  and 

88 


THE  EMIGRATION   OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

upon  thy  people,  and  into  thy  houses;  and  the  houses  of 
the  Egyptians  shall  be  full  of  swarms  of  flies,  and  also  the 
ground  whereon  they  are.  And  I  will  sever  in  that  day 
the  land  of  Goshen,  in  which  my  people  dwell,  that  no  swarms 
of  flies  shall  be  there;  to  the  end  thou  mayest  know  that  I 
am  the  Lord  in  the  midst  of  the  earth.  And  I  will  put  a  di- 
vision between  my  people  and  thy  people;  to-morrow  shall 
this  sign  be.' " 

And  the  Lord  did  so;  and  there  came  a  grievous  swarm 
of  flies  into  the  house  of  Pharaoh,  and  into  his  servants' 
houses,  and  into  all  the  land  of  Egypt:  the  land  was  cor- 
rupted by  reason  of  the  swarm  of  flies.  And  Pharaoh  called 
for  Moses  and  for  Aaron,  and  said : 

"  Go  ye,  sacrifice  to  your  God  in  the  land."  And  Moses 
said : 

"  It  is  not  meet  so  to  do ;  for  we  shall  sacrifice  the  abomi- 
nation of  the  Egyptians  to  the  Lord  our  God ;  lo,  shall  we 
sacrifice  the  abomination  of  the  Egyptians  before  their  eyes, 
and  will  they  not  stone  us  ?  We  will  go  three  days'  journey 
into  the  wilderness,  and  sacrifice  to  the  Lord  our  God,  as  he 
shall  command  us."  And  Pharaoh  said: 

"  I  will  let  you  go,  that  ye  may  sacrifice  to  the  Lord  your 
God  in  the  wilderness;  only  ye  shall  not  go  very  far  away; 
intreat  for  me."  And  Moses  said : 

"  Behold,  I  go  out  from  thee,  and  I  will  intreat  the  Lord 
that  the  swarms  of  flies  may  depart  from  Pharaoh,  from  his 

89 


IN   EARLIEST   TIMES 

servants,  and  from  his  people,  to-morrow.  But  let  not  Pha- 
raoh deal  deceitfully  any  more  in  not  letting  the  people  go  to 
sacrifice  to  the  Lord."  And  Moses  went  out  from  Pharaoh, 
and  intreated  the  Lord.  And  the  Lord  did  according  to  the 
word  of  Moses ;  and  he  removed  the  swarms  of  flies  from 
Pharaoh,  from  his  servants,  and  from  his  people;  there  re- 
mained not  one.  And  Pharaoh  hardened  his  heart  at  this 
time  also,  neither  would  he  let  the  people  go. 

Then  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses: 

"  Go  in  unto  Pharaoh,  and  tell  him,  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
God  of  the  Hebrews,  Let  my  people  go,  that  they  may 
serve  me.  For  if  thou  refuse  to  let  them  go,  and  wilt  hold 
them  still,  behold,  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  upon  thy  cattle 
which  is  in  the  field,  upon  the  horses,  upon  the  asses,  upon 
the  camels,  upon  the  oxen,  and  upon  the  sheep;  there  shall 
be  a  very  grievous  murrain.  And  the  Lord  shall  sever  be- 
tween the  cattle  of  Israel  and  the  cattle  of  Egypt;  and  there 
shall  nothing  die  of  all  that  is  the  children's  of  Israel.'  "  And 
the  Lord  appointed  a  set  time,  saying:  "  To-morrow  the  Lord 
shall  do  this  thing  in  the  land." 

And  the  Lord  did  that  thing  on  the  morrow,  and  all  the 
cattle  of  Egypt  died;  but  of  the  cattle  of  the  children  of 
Israel  died  not  one.  And  Pharaoh  sent,  and,  behold,  there 
was  not  one  of  the  cattle  of  the  Israelites  dead.  And  the 
heart  of  Pharaoh  was  hardened,  and  he  did  not  let  the  peo23le 
go.- And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses  and  unto  Aaron: 

90 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

"  Take  to  you  handfuls  of  ashes  of  the  furnace,  and  let 
Moses  sprinkle  it  toward  the  heaven  in  the  sight  of  Pharaoh. 
And  it  shall  become  small  dust  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt,  and 
shall  be  a  boil  breaking  forth  with  blains  upon  man,  and  upon 
beast,  throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt." 

And  they  took  ashes  of  the  furnace,  and  stood  before  Pha- 
raoh; and  Moses  sprinkled  it  up  toward  heaven;  and  it  be- 
came a  boil  breaking  forth  with  blains  upon  man,  and  upon 
beast.  And  the  magicians  could  not  stand  before  Moses  be- 
cause of  the  boils ;  for  the  boil  was  upon  the  magicians,  and 
upon  all  the  Egyptians.  And  the  Lord  hardened  the  heart  of 
Pharaoh,  and  he  hearkened  not  unto  them ;  as  the  Lord  had 
spoken  unto  Moses.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses : 

"Rise  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  stand  before  Pharaoh, 
and  say  unto  him,  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  the  Hebrews, 
Let  my  people  go,  that  they  may  serve  me.  For  I  will  at  this 
time  send  all  my  plagues  upon  thine  heart,  and  upon  thy 
servants,  and  upon  thy  people;  that  thou  mayest  know  that 
there  is  none  like  me  in  all  the  earth.  For  now  I  will  stretch 
out  my  hand,  that  I  may  smite  thee  and  thy  people  with  pes- 
tilence; and  thou  shalt  be  cut  off  from  the  earth.  And  in 
very  deed  for  this  cause  have  I  raised  thee  up,  for  to  shew 
in  thee  my  power;  and  that  my  name  may  be  declared 
throughout  all  the  earth.  As  yet  exaltest  thou  thyself  against 
my  people,  that  thou  wilt  not  let  them  go  ?  Behold,  to-mor- 
row about  this  time  I  will  cause  it  to  rain  a  very  grievous 

91 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

hail,  such  as  hath  not  been  in  Egypt  since  the  foundation 
thereof  even  until  now.  Send  therefore  now,  and  gather  thy 
cattle,  and  all  that  thou  hast  in  the  field ;  for  upon  every  man 
and  beast  which  shall  be  found  in  the  field,  and  shall  not  be 
brought  home,  the  hail  shall  come  down  upon  them,  and  they 
shall  die.'  "  He  that  feared  the  word  of  the  Lord  among  the 
servants  of  Pharaoh  made  his  servants  and  his  cattle  flee  into 
the  houses :  and  he  that  regarded  not  the  word  of  the  Lord 
left  his  servants  and  his  cattle  in  the  field.  And  the  Lord  said 
unto  Moses,  "  Stretch  forth  thine  hand  toward  heaven,  that 
there  may  be  hail  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt,  upon  man,  and 
upon  beast,  and  upon  every  herb  of  the  field,  throughout  the 
land  of  Egypt." 

And  Moses  stretched  forth  his  rod  toward  heaven :  and 
the  Lord  sent  thunder  and  hail,  and  the  fire  ran  along  upon 
the  ground;  and  the  Lord  rained  hail  upon  the  land  of  Egypt. 
So  there  was  hail,  and  fire  mingled  with  the  hail,  very  griev- 
ous, such  as  there  was  none  like  it  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt 
since  it  became  a  nation.  And  the  hail  smote  throughout  all 
the  land  of  Egypt  all  that  was  in  the  field,  both  man  and 
beast;  and  the  hail  smote  every  herb  of  the  field,  and  brake 
every  tree  of  the  field.  Only  in  the  land  of  Goshen,  where 
the  children  of  Israel  were,  was  there  no  hail.  And  Pharaoh 
sent,  and  called  for  Moses  and  Aaron,  and  said  unto  them : 

"  I  have  sinned  this  time ;  the  Lord  is  righteous,  and  I  and 
my  peoj^le  are  wicked.   Intreat  the  Lord  (for  it  is  enough) 

92 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

that  there  be  no  more  mighty  thunderings  and  hail ;  and  I 
will  let  you  go,  and  ye  shall  stay  no  longer."  And  Moses 
said  unto  him : 

"  As  soon  as  I  am  gone  out  of  the  city,  I  will  spread  abroad 
my  hands  unto  the  Lord;  and  the  thunder  shall  cease,  neither 
shall  there  be  any  more  hail;  that  thou  mayest  know  how 
that  the  earth  is  the  Lord's.  But  as  for  thee  and  thy  servants, 
I  know  that  ye  will  not  yet  fear  the  Lord  God." 

And  the  flax  and  the  barley  was  smitten;  for  the  barley 
was  in  the  ear,  and  the  flax  was  boiled.  But  the  wheat  and 
the  rye  were  not  smitten ;  for  they  were  not  grown  up.  And 
Moses  went  out  of  the  city  from  Pharaoh,  and  spread  abroad 
his  hands  unto  the  Lord;  and  the  thunders  and  hail  ceased, 
and  the  rain  was  not  poured  upon  the  earth.  And  when  Pha- 
raoh saw  that  the  rain  and  the  hail  and  the  thunders  were 
ceased,  he  sinned  yet  more,  and  hardened  his  heart,  he  and 
his  servants.  And  the  heart  of  Pharaoh  was  hardened,  neither 
would  he  let  the  children  of  Israel  go;  as  the  Lord  had 
spoken  by  Moses.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses: 

"  Go  in  unto  Pharaoh ;  for  I  have  hardened  his  heart,  and 
the  heart  of  his  servants,  that  I  might  shew  these  my  signs 
before  him ;  and  that  thou  mayest  tell  in  the  ears  of  thy  son, 
and  of  thy  son's  son,  what  things  I  have  wrought  in  Egypt, 
and  my  signs  which  I  have  done  among  them;  that  ye  may 
know  how  that  I  am  the  Lord."  And  Moses  and  Aaron 
came  in  unto  Pharaoh,  and  said  unto  him : 

93 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

"  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  the  Hebrews,  '  How  long 
wilt  thou  refuse  to  humble  thyself  before  me?  let  my  people 
go,  that  they  may  serve  me.  Else,  if  thou  refuse  to  let  my 
people  go,  behold,  to-morrow  will  I  bring  the  locusts  into  thy 
coast;  and  they  shall  cover  the  face  of  the  earth,  that  one 
cannot  be  able  to  see  the  earth;  and  they  shall  eat  the  resi- 
due of  that  which  is  escaped,  which  remaineth  unto  you  from 
the  hail,  and  shall  eat  every  tree  which  groweth  for  you  out 
of  the  field;  and  they  shall  fill  thy  houses,  and  the  houses  of 
all  thy  servants,  and  the  houses  of  all  the  Egyptians;  which 
neither  thy  fathers,  nor  thy  fathers'  fathers  have  seen,  since 
the  day  that  they  were  uj^on  the  earth  unto  this  day.' "  And 
he  turned  himself,  and  went  out  from  Pharaoh.  And  Pha- 
raoh's servants  said  imto  him: 

"  How  long  shall  this  man  be  a  snare  unto  us?  let  the  men 
go,  that  they  may  serve  the  Lord  their  God ;  knowest  thou 
not  yet  that  Egypt  is  destroyed  ?  "  And  Moses  and  Aaron 
were  brought  again  unto  Pharaoh;  and  he  said  unto  them: 

"  Go,  serve  the  Lord  your  God;  but  who  are  they  that  shall 
go  ?  "  And  Moses  said : 

"  We  will  go  with  our  young  and  with  our  old,  with  our 
sons  and  with  our  daughters,  with  our  flocks  and  with  our 
herds  will  we  go;  for  we  must  hold  a  feast  unto  the  Lord." 
And  he  said  unto  them : 

*'Let  the  Lord  be  so  with  you,  as  I  will  let  you  go,  and 
your  little  ones;  look  to  it;  for  evil  is  before  you.   IS^ot  so; 

94 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

go  now  ye  that  are  men,  and  serve  the  Lord ;  for  that  ye  did 
desire."  And  they  were  driven  out  from  Pharaoh's  presence. 
And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses : 

"  Stretch  out  thine  hand  over  the  land  of  Egypt  for  the 
locusts,  that  they  may  come  up  upon  the  land  of  Egypt,  and 
eat  every  herb  of  the  land,  even  all  that  the  hail  hath  left." 

And  Moses  stretched  forth  his  rod  over  the  land  of  Egypt, 
and  the  Lord  brought  an  east  wind  upon  the  land  all  that 
day,  and  all  that  night ;  and  when  it  was  morning,  the  east 
wind  brought  the  locusts.  And  the  locusts  went  up  over  all 
the  land  of  Egypt,  and  rested  in  all  the  coasts  of  Egypt; 
very  grievous  were  they;  before  them  there  were  no  such 
locusts  as  they,  neither  after  them  shall  be  such.  For  they 
covered  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  so  that  the  land  was 
darkened;  and  they  did  eat  every  herb  of  the  land,  and  all 
the  fruit  of  the  trees  which  the  hail  had  left ;  and  there  re- 
mained not  any  green  thing  in  the  trees,  or  in  the  herbs  of  the 
field,  through  all  the  land  of  Egypt.  Then  Pharaoh  called  for 
Moses  and  Aaron  in  haste;  and  he  said: 

"  I  have  sinned  against  the  Lord  your  God,  and  against 
you.  Now  therefore  forgive,  I  pray  thee,  my  sin  only  this 
once,  and  intreat  the  Lord  your  God,  that  he  may  take  away 
from  me  this  death  only."  And  he  went  out  from  Pharaoh, 
and  intreated  the  Lord.  And  the  Lord  turned  a  mighty  strong 
west  wind,  which  took  away  the  locusts,  and  cast  them  into 
the  Red  Sea ;  there  remained  not  one  locust  in  all  the  coasts 

95 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

of  Egypt.  But  the  Lord  hardened  Pharaoh's  heart,  so  that 
he  would  not  let  the  children  of  Israel  go.  And  the  Lord  said 
unto  Moses : 

"  Stretch  out  thine  hand  toward  heaven,  that  there  may  be 
darkness  over  the  land  of  Egypt,  even  darkness  which  may 
be  felt."  And  Moses  stretched  forth  his  hand  toward  heaven; 
and  there  was  a  thick  darkness  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt  three 
days.  They  saw  not  one  another,  neither  rose  any  from  his 
place  for  three  days ;  but  all  the  children  of  Israel  had  light 
in  their  dwellings.  And  Pharaoh  called  unto  Moses,  and 
said : 

"  Go  ye,  serve  the  Lord ;  only  let  your  flocks  and  your 
herds  be  stayed;  let  your  little  ones  also  go  with  you."  And 
Moses  said: 

"  Thou  must  give  us  also  sacrifices  and  burnt  offerings, 
that  we  may  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord  our  God.  Our  cattle  also 
shall  go  with  us;  there  shall  not  an  hoof  be  left  behind;  for 
thereof  must  we  take  to  serve  the  Lord  our  God ;  and  we 
know  not  with  what  we  must  serve  the  Lord,  until  we  come 
thither."  But  the  Lord  hardened  Pharaoh's  heart,  and  he 
would  not  let  them  go.  And  Pharaoh  said  unto  him : 

"  Get  thee  from  me,  take  heed  to  thyself,  see  my  face  no 
more;  for  in  that  day  thou  seest  my  face  thou  shalt  die." 
And  Moses  said : 

"  Thou  hast  spoken  well;  I  will  see  thy  face  again  no 


more." 


96 


THE  EMIGRATION   OF   THE  ISRAELITES 

And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses; 

"  Yet  will  I  bring  one  plague  more  upon  Pharaoh,  and  upon 
Egypt;  afterwards  he  will  let  you  go  hence.  When  he  shall 
let  you  go,  he  shall  surely  thrust  you  out  hence  altogether. 
Speak  now  in  the  ears  of  the  people,  and  let  every  man  bor- 
row of  his  neighbour,  and  every  woman  of  her  neighbour, 
jewels  of  silver,  and  jewels  of  gold."  And  the  Lord  gave 
the  people  favour  in  the  sight  of  the  Egyptians.  Moreover  the 
man  Moses  was  very  great  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  in  the  sight 
of  Pharaoh's  servants,  and  in  the  sight  of  the  people.  And 
Moses  said: 

"  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  '  About  midnight  will  I  go  out  into 
the  midst  of  Egypt ;  and  all  the  firstborn  in  the  land  of  Egyj)t 
shall  die,  from  the  firstborn  of  Pharaoh  that  sitteth  upon 
his  throne,  even  unto  the  firstborn  of  the  maidservant  that 
is  behind  the  mill;  and  all  the  firstborn  of  beasts.  And  there 
shall  be  a  great  cry  throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt,  such 
as  there  was  none  like  it,  nor  shall  be  like  it  any  more.  But 
against  any  of  the  children  of  Israel  shall  not  a  dog  move  his 
tongue,  against  man  or  beast;  that  ye  may  know  how  that 
the  Lord  doth  put  a  difference  between  the  Egyptians  and 
Israel.  And  all  these  thy  servants  shall  come  down  unto  me, 
and  bow  down  themselves  unto  me,  saying,  "  Get  thee  out, 
and  all  the  people  that  follow  thee";  and  after  that  I  will  go 
out.' "  And  he  went  out  from  Pharaoh  in  a  great  anger.  And 
the  Lord  said  unto  Moses: 

97 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

"Pharaoh  shall  not  hearken  unto  you;  that  my  wonders 
may  be  multiplied  in  the  land  of  Egypt."  And  Moses  and 
Aaron  did  all  these  wonders  before  Pharaoh.  And  the  Lord 
hardened  Pharaoh's  heart,  so  that  he  would  not  let  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  go  out  of  his  land.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Moses  and  Aaron  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  saying : 

"  This  month  shall  be  unto  you  the  beginning  of  months; 
it  shall  be  the  first  month  of  the  year  to  you.  Speak  ye  unto 
all  the  congregation  of  Israel,  saying,  In  the  tenth  day  of 
this  month  they  shall  take  to  them  every  man  a  lamb,  accord- 
ing to  the  house  of  their  fathers,  a  lamb  for  an  house;  and 
if  the  household  be  too  little  for  the  lamb,  let  him  and  his 
neighbour  next  unto  his  house  take  it  according  to  the  num- 
ber of  the  souls;  every  man  according  to  his  eating  shall 
make  your  count  for  the  lamb.  Your  lamb  shall  be  without 
blemish,  a  male  of  the  first  year;  ye  shall  take  it  out  from 
the  sheep,  or  from  the  goats ;  and  ye  shall  keep  it  up  until  the 
fourteenth  day  of  the  same  month;  and  the  whole  assembly 
of  the  congregation  of  Israel  shall  kill  it  in  the  evening.  And 
they  shall  take  of  the  blood,  and  strike  it  on  the  two  side 
posts  and  on  the  upper  door  post  of  the  houses,  wherein  they 
shall  eat  it.  And  they  shall  eat  the  flesh  in  that  night,  roast 
with  fire,  and  unleavened  bread;  and  with  bitter  herbs  they 
shall  eat  it.  Eat  not  of  it  raw,  nor  sodden  at  all  with  water, 
but  roast  with  fire;  his  head  with  his  legs,  and  with  the  pur- 
ten^nce  thereof.  And  ye  shall  let  nothing  of  it  remain  until 

98 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

the  morning ;  and  that  which  remaineth  of  it  until  the  morn- 
ing ye  shall  burn  with  fire.  And  thus  shall  ye  eat  it;  with 
your  loins  girded,  your  shoes  on  your  feet,  and  your  staff  in 
your  hand;  and  ye  shall  eat  it  in  haste:  it  is  the  Lord's  pass- 
over.  For  I  will  pass  through  the  land  of  Egypt  this  night, 
and  will  smite  all  the  firstborn  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  both 
man  and  beast;  and  against  all  the  gods  of  Egypt  I  will  exe- 
cute judgment.  I  am  the  Lord.  And  the  blood  shall  be  to 
you  for  a  token  upon  the  houses  where  ye  are ;  and  when  I 
see  the  blood,  I  will  pass  over  you,  and  the  plague  shall  not 
be  upon  you  to  destroy  you,  when  I  smite  the  land  of  Egypt. 
And  this  day  shall  be  unto  you  for  a  memorial ;  and  ye  shall 
keep  it  a  feast  to  the  Lord  throughout  your  generations ;  ye 
shall  keep  it  a  feast  by  an  ordinance  forever."  And  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  went  away,  and  did  as  the  Lord  had  com- 
manded Moses  and  Aaron,  so  did  they. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  that  at  midnight  the  Lord  smote  all 
the  firstborn  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  from  the  firstborn  of  Pha- 
raoh that  sat  on  his  throne  unto  the  firstborn  of  the  captive 
that  was  in  the  dungeon ;  and  all  the  firstborn  of  cattle.  And 
Pharaoh  rose  up  in  the  night,  he,  and  all  his  servants,  and  all 
the  Egyptians;  and  there  was  a  great  cry  in  Egypt;  for  there 
was  not  a  house  w^here  there  was  not  one  dead. 


99 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 


7.     THE  FLIGHT  FROM  EGYPT 


And  [Pharaoh]  called  for  Moses  and  Aaron  by  night,  and 
said: 

"  Rise  up,  and  get  you  forth  from  among  my  people,  both 
ye  and  the  children  of  Israel;  and  go,  serve  the  Lord,  as  ye 
have  said.  Also  take  your  flocks  and  your  herds,  as  ye  have 
said,  and  be  gone ;  and  bless  me  also."  And  the  Egyptians 
were  urgent  upon  the  people,  that  they  might  send  them  out 
of  the  land  in  haste;  for  they  said,  "We  be  all  dead  men." 
And  the  people  took  their  dough  before  it  was  leavened, 
their  kneadingtroughs  being  bound  up  in  their  clothes  upon 
their  shoulders.  And  the  chiklren  of  Israel  did  according  to 
the  word  of  Moses;  and  they  borrowed  of  the  Egyptians 
jewels  of  silver,  and  jewels  of  gold,  and  raiment.  And  the 
Lord  gave  the  people  favour  in  the  sight  of  the  Egyptians, 
so  that  they  lent  unto  them  such  things  as  they  required. 
And  they  sjDoiled  the  Egyptians. 

And  the  children  of  Israel  journeyed  from  Rameses  to 
Succoth,  about  six  hundred  thousand  on  foot  that  were 
men,  beside  children.  And  a  mixed  multitude  went  up  also 
with  them;  and  flocks,  and  herds,  even  very  much  cattle. 
And  they  baked  unleavened  cakes  of  the  dough  which  they 
brought  forth  out  of  Egypt,  for  it  was  not  leavened ;  because 
they  were  thrust  out  of  Egypt,  and  could  not  tarry,  neither 
had  they  prepared  for  themselves  any  victual. 

100 


THE  EMIGRATION   OF   THE  ISRAELITES 

Now  the  sojourning  of  the  children  of  Israel,  who  dwelt 
in  Egypt,  was  four  hundred  and  thirty  ;ye?i?s.. ,  And  'it  came 
to  pass  at  the  end  of  the  four  hundred  and  thirty  years,  even 
the  selfsame  day  it  came  to  pass,  that  a;U.  the -hoists  of  the 
Lord  went  out  from  the  land  of  Egypt.  It  is  a  night  to  be 
much  observed  unto  the  Lord  for  bringing  them  out  from 
the  land  of  Egypt;  this  is  that  night  of  the  Lord  to  be  ob- 
served of  all  the  children  of  Israel  in  their  generations. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Pharaoh  had  let  the  people  go, 
that  God  led  them  not  through  the  way  of  the  land  of  the 
Phihstines,  although  that  was  near;  for  God  said,  "Lest 
peradventure  the  people  repent  when  they  see  war,  and  they 
return  to  Egypt."  But  God  led  the  people  about,  through 
the  way  of  the  wilderness  of  the  Ped  Sea;  and  the  children 
of  Israel  went  up  harnessed  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt.  Ajid 
Moses  took  the  bones  of  Joseph  with  him;  for  he  had  straitly 
sworn  the  children  of  Israel,  saying,  "  God  will  surely  visit 
you;  and  ye  shall  carry  up  my  bones  away  hence  with  you." 

And  they  took  their  journey  from  Succoth,  and  encamped 
in  Etham,  in  the  edge  of  the  wilderness.  And  the  Lord  went 
before  them  by  day  in  a  pillar  of  a  cloud,  to  lead  them  the 
way ;  and  by  night  in  a  pillar  of  fire,  to  give  them  light ;  to 
go  by  day  and  night.  He  took  not  away  the  pillar  of  the 
cloud  by  day,  nor  the  pillar  of  fire  by  night,  from  before 
the  people.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying: 

"  Speak  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  that  they  turn  and  en- 

101 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

camp  before  Pi-hahiroth,  between  Migdol  and  the  sea,  over 
against  Baal-zephon;  before  it  shall  ye  encamp  by  the  sea. 
For  Pharaoh, will  say  of  the  children  of  Israel, '  They  are  en- 
tangled in  the  land,  the  wilderness  hath  shut  them  in.'  And 
I  will  harden  Pharaoh's  heart,  that  he  shall  follow  after  them ; 
and  I  will  be  honoured  upon  Pharaoh,  and  upon  all  his  host; 
that  the  Egyptians  may  know  that  I  am  the  Lord."  And  they 
did  so. 

And  it  was  told  the  king  of  Egypt  that  the  people  fled; 
and  the  heart  of  Pharaoh  and  of  his  servants  was  turned 
against  the  people,  and  they  said,  "Why  have  we  done  this, 
that  we  have  let  Israel  go  from  serving  us?  "  And  he  made 
ready  his  chariot,  and  took  his  people  with  him.  And  he  took 
six  hundred  chosen  chariots,  and  all  the  chariots  of  Egypt, 
and  captains  over  every  one  of  them. 

8.     THE  PASSAGE   ACROSS  THE  RED   SEA 

And  the  Lord  hardened  the  heart  of  Pharaoh  king  of 
Egypt,  and  he  pursued  after  the  children  of  Israel ;  and  the 
children  of  Israel  went  out  with  an  high  hand.  But  the 
Egyptians  pursued  after  them,  all  the  horses  and  chariots  of 
Pharaoh,  and  his  horsemen,  and  his  army,  and  overtook  them 
encamping  by  the  sea,  beside  Pi-hahiroth,  before  Baal-ze- 
phon. And  when  Pharaoh  drew  nigh,  the  children  of  Israel 
lifted  up  their  eyes,  and,  behold,  the  Egyptians  marched  after 

102 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

them ;  and  they  were  sore  afraid ;  and  the  children  of  Israel 
cried  out  unto  the  Lord.   And  they  said  unto  Moses : 

"  Because  there  were  no  graves  in  Egypt,  hast  thou  taken 
us  away  to  die  in  the  wilderness?  wherefore  hast  thou  dealt 
thus  with  us,  to  carry  us  forth  out  of  Egypt?  Is  not  this  the 
word  that  we  did  tell  thee  in  Egypt,  saying, '  Let  us  alone, 
that  we  may  serve  the  Egyptians '?  For  it  had  been  better 
for  us  to  serve  the  Egyptians,  than  that  we  should  die  in  the 
wilderness."  And  Moses  said  unto  the  peojDle: 

"Fear  ye  not,  stand  still,  and  see  the  salvation  of  the  Lord, 
which  he  will  shew  to  you  to-day;  for  the  Egyptians  whom 
ye  have  seen  to-day,  ye  shall  see  them  again  no  more  for- 
ever. The  Lord  shall  fight  for  you,  and  ye  shall  hold  your 
peace."  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses: 

"Wherefore  criest  thou  mito  me?  speak  unto  the  children 
of  Israel,  that  they  go  forward.  But  lift  thou  up  thy  rod,  and 
stretch  out  thine  hand  over  the  sea,  and  divide  it;  and  the 
children  of  Israel  shall  go  on  dry  ground  through  the  midst 
of  the  sea.  And  I,  behold,  I  will  harden  the  hearts  of  the 
Egyptians,  and  they  shall  follow  them;  and  I  will  get  me 
honour  upon  Pharaoh,  and  upon  all  his  host,  upon  his  char- 
iots, and  upon  his  horsemen.  And  the  Egyptians  shall  know 
that  I  am  the  Lord,  when  I  have  gotten  me  honour  upon 
Pharaoh,  upon  his  chariots,  and  upon  his  horsemen."  And 
the  angel  of  God,  which  went  before  the  camp  of  Israel, 
removed  and  went  behind  them ;  and  the  pillar  of  the  cloud 

103 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

went  from  before  their  face,  and  stood  behind  them.  And  it 
came  between  the  camp  of  the  Egyptians  and  the  camp  of 
Israel;  and  it  was  a  cloud  and  darkness  to  them,  but  it  gave 
light  by  night  to  these ;  so  that  the  one  came  not  near  the 
other  all  the  night. 

And  Moses  stretched  out  his  hand  over  the  sea ;  and  the 
Lord  caused  the  sea  to  go  back  by  a  strong  east  wind  all  that 
night,  and  made  the  sea  dry  land,  and  the  waters  were  di- 
vided. And  the  children  of  Israel  went  into  the  midst  of  the 
sea  upon  the  dry  ground;  and  the  waters  were  a  wall  unto 
them  on  their  right  hand,  and  on  their  left.  And  the  Egyp- 
tians pursued,  and  went  in  after  them  to  the  midst  of  the  sea, 
even  all  Pharaoh's  horses,  his  chariots,  and  his  horsemen. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  that  in  the  morning  watch  the  Lord 
looked  unto  the  host  of  the  Egyptians  through  the  pillar  of 
fire  and  of  the  cloud,  and  troubled  the  host  of  the  Egyptians, 
and  took  off  their  chariot  wheels,  that  they  drave  them  heav- 
ily; so  that  the  Egyptians  said,  "Let  us  flee  from  the  face 
of  Israel;  for  the  Lord  fighteth  for  them  against  the  Egyp- 
tians." And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses: 

"Stretch  out  thine  hand  over  the  sea,  that  the  waters  may 
come  again  upon  the  Egyptians,  upon  their  chariots,  and 
upon  their  horsemen."  And  Moses  stretched  forth  his  hand 
over  the  sea,  and  the  sea  returned  to  his  strength  when  the 
morning  appeared;  and  the  Egyptians  fled  against  it;  and 
the-Lord  overthrew  the  Egyptians  in  the  midst  of  the  sea. 

104 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

And  the  waters  returned,  and  covered  the  chariots,  and  the 
horsemen,  and  all  the  host  of  Pharaoh  that  came  into  the  sea 
after  them;  there  remained  not  so  much  as  one  of  them.  But 
the  children  of  Israel  walked  upon  dry  land  in  the  midst  of 
the  sea ;  and  the  waters  were  a  wall  unto  them  on  their  right 
hand,  and  on  their  left. 

Thus  the  Lord  saved  Israel  that  day  out  of  the  hand  of 
the  Egyptians ;  and  Israel  saw  the  Egyptians  dead  upon  the 
sea  shore.  And  Israel  saw  that  great  work  which  the  Lord 
did  upon  the  Egyptians ;  and  the  people  feared  the  Lord,  and 
beUeved  the  Lord,  and  his  servant  Moses. 


9.     THE  JOURNEY  THROUGH  THE  WILDERNESS 

So  Moses  brought  Israel  from  the  Red  Sea,  and  they  went 
out  into  the  wilderness  of  Shur;  and  they  went  three  days  in 
the  wilderness,  and  found  no  water.  And  when  they  came  to 
Marah,  they  could  not  drink  of  the  waters  of  Marah,  for  they 
were  bitter:  therefore  the  name  of  it  was  called  Marah.  And 
the  people  murmured  against  Moses,  saying : 

"What  shall  we  drink?  "  And  he  cried  unto  the  Lord;  and 
the  Lord  shewed  him  a  tree,  which  when  he  had  cast  into  the 
waters,  the  waters  were  made  sweet;  there  he  made  for  them 
a  statute  and  an  ordinance,  and  there  he  proved  them,  and 
said: 

"  If  thou  wilt  diligently  hearken  to  the  voice  of  the  Lord 

105 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

thy  God,  and  wilt  do  that  which  is  right  in  his  sight,  and  wilt 
give  ear  to  his  commandments,  and  keep  all  his  statutes,  I 
will  put  none  of  these  diseases  upon  thee,  which  I  have 
brought  upon  the  Egyj^tians ;  for  I  am  the  Lord  that  healeth 
thee."  And  they  came  to  Elim,  where  were  twelve  wells  of 
water,  and  threescore  and  ten  palm  trees ;  and  they  encamped 
there  by  the  waters.  And  they  took  their  journey  from  Elim, 
and  all  the  congregation  of  the  children  of  Israel  came 
unto  the  wilderness  of  Sin,  which  is  between  Elim  and  Sinai, 
on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  second  month  after  their  depart- 
ing out  of  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  the  whole  congregation 
of  the  children  of  Israel  murmured  against  Moses  and 
Aaron  in  the  wilderness.  And  the  children  of  Israel  said 
unto  them: 

"Would  to  God  we  had  died  by  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
in  the  land  of  Egypt,  when  we  sat  by  the  flesh  pots,  and 
when  we  did  eat  bread  to  the  full;  for  ye  have  brought  us 
forth  into  this  wilderness,  to  kill  this  whole  assembly  with 
hunger."  Then  said  the  Lord  unto  Moses : 

"  Behold,  I  will  rain  bread  from  heaven  for  you ;  and  the 
people  shall  go  out  and  gather  a  certain  rate  every  day,  that 
I  may  prove  them,  whether  they  will  walk  in  my  law,  or  no. 
And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  on  the  sixth  day  they  shall 
prepare  that  which  they  bring  in;  and  it  shall  be  twice  as 
much  as  they  gather  daily."  And  Moses  and  Aaron  said 
unto  all  the  children  of  Israel: 

106 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

^'  At  even,  then  ye  shall  know  that  the  Lord  hath  brought 
you  out  from  the  land  of  Egypt;  and  in  the  morning,  then 
ye  shall  see  the  glory  of  the  Lord;  for  that  he  heareth 
your  murmuidngs  agamst  the  Lord;  and  what  are  we,  that 
ye  murmur  against  us  ?  "  And  Moses  said : 

"  This  shall  be,  when  the  Lord  shall  give  you  in  the  evening 
flesh  to  eat,  and  in  the  morning  bread  to  the  full;  for  that 
the  Lord  heareth  your  murmurings  which  ye  murmur  against 
him ;  and  what  are  we  ?  your  murmurings  are  not  against 
us,  but  against  the  Lord."  And  Moses  spake  unto  Aaron : 

"  Say  unto  all  the  congregation  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
'  Come  near  before  the  Lord;  for  he  hath  heard  your  murmur- 
ings.' "  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  Aaron  spake  unto  the  whole 
congregation  of  the  children  of  Israel,  that  they  looked  toward 
the  wilderness,  and,  behold,  the  glory  of  the  Lord  appeared 
in  the  cloud.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying : 

"  I  have  heard  the  murmurings  of  the  children  of  Israel ; 
speak  unto  them,  saying,  'At  even  ye  shall  eat  flesh,  and  in 
the  morning  ye  shall  be  filled  with  bread;  and  ye  shall  know 
that  I  am  the  Lord  your  God.' "  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  at 
even  the  quails  came  up,  and  covered  the  camp ;  and  in  the 
morning  the  dew  lay  round  about  the  host.  And  when  the 
dew  that  lay  was  gone  up,  behold,  upon  the  face  of  the  wil- 
derness there  lay  a  small  round  thing,  as  small  as  the  hoar 
frost  on  the  ground.  And  when  the  children  of  Israel  saw 
it,  they  said  one  to  another: 

107 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

"  It  is  manna :  "  for  they  wist  not  what  it  was.  And  Moses 
said  unto  them: 

"  This  is  the  bread  which  the  Lord  hath  given  you  to  eat. 
This  is  the  thing  which  the  Lord  hath  commanded,  '  Gather 
of  it  every  man  according  to  his  eating,  an  omer  for  every 
man,  according  to  the  number  of  your  persons;  take  ye 
every  man  for  them  which  are  in  his  tents.' "  And  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  did  so,  and  gathered,  some  more,  some  less. 
And  when  they  did  mete  it  with  an  omer,  he  that  gathered 
much  had  nothing  over,  and  he  that  gathered  little  had  no 
lack;  they  gathered  every  man  according  to  his  eating.  And 
Moses  said: 

"  Let  no  man  leave  of  it  till  the  morning."  Notwithstand- 
ing they  hearkened  not  unto  Moses;  but  some  of  them  left 
of  it  until  the  morning,  and  it  bred  worms,  and  stank:  and 
Moses  was  wroth  with  them.  And  they  gathered  it  every 
morning,  every  man  according  to  his  eating:  and  when  the 
sun  waxed  hot,  it  melted.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  on 
the  sixth  day  they  gathered  twice  as  much  bread,  two  omers 
for  one  man :  and  all  the  rulers  of  the  congregation  came  and 
told  Moses.  And  he  said  unto  them : 

"  This  is  that  which  the  Lord  hath  said,  '  To-morrow  is 
the  rest  of  the  holy  sabbath  unto  the  Lord ; '  bake  that 
which  ye  will  bake  to-day,  and  seethe  that  ye  will  seethe ; 
and  that  which  remaineth  over  lay  up  for  you  to  be  kept 
until  the  morning."  And  they  laid  it  up  till  the  morning,  as 

108 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

Moses  bade;  and  it  did  not  stink,  neither  was  there  any 
worm  therein.  And  Moses  said: 

"Eat  that  to-day;  for  to-day  is  a  sabbath  unto  the  Lord; 
to-day  ye  shall  not  find  it  in  the  field.  Six  days  ye  shall  gather 
it ;  but  on  the  seventh  day,  which  is  the  sabbath,  in  it  there 
shall  be  none."  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  there  went  out 
some  of  the  people  on  the  seventh  day  for  to  gather,  and 
they  found  none.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses : 

"  How  long  refuse  ye  to  keep  my  commandments  and  my 
laws?  See,  for  that  the  Lord  hath  given  you  the  sabbath, 
therefore  he  giveth  you  on  the  sixth  day  the  bread  of  two 
days ;  abide  ye  every  man  in  his  place,  let  no  man  go  out  of 
his  place  on  the  seventh  day."  So  the  people  rested  on  the  sev- 
enth day.  And  the  house  of  Israel  called  the  name  thereof 
Manna;  and  it  was  like  coriander  seed,  white;  and  the  taste 
of  it  was  like  wafers  made  with  honey.  And  Moses  said : 

"  This  is  the  thing  which  the  Lord  commandeth,  *  Fill 
an  omer  of  it  to  be  kept  for  your  generations;  that  they 
may  see  the  bread  wherewith  I  have  fed  you  in  the  wilder- 
ness, when  I  brought  you  forth  from  the  land  of  Egypt.'  " 
And  Moses  said  unto  Aaron : 

"  Take  a  pot,  and  put  an  omer  full  of  manna  therein,  and  lay 
it  up  before  the  Lord,  to  be  kept  for  your  generations."  As 
the  Lord  commanded  Moses,  so  Aaron  laid  it  up  before  the 
Testimony,  to  be  kept.  And  the  children  of  Israel  did  eat 
manna  forty  years,  until  they  came  to  a  land  inhabited;  they 

109 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

did  eat  manna,  until  they  came  unto  the  borders  of  the  land 
of  Canaan.  Kow  an  omer  is  the  tenth  part  of  an  ephah. 

And  all  the  congregation  of  the  children  of  Israel  jour- 
neyed from  the  wilderness  of  Sin,  after  their  journeys, 
according  to  the  commandment  of  the  Lord,  and  pitched  in 
Rephidim;  and  there  was  no  water  for  the  people  to  drink. 
Wherefore  the  people  did  chide  with  Moses,  and  said: 

"  Give  us  water  that  we  may  drink."  And  Moses  said 
unto  them: 

"Why  chide  ye  with  me?  wherefore  do  ye  tempt  the 
Lord?"  And  the  peoj)le  thirsted  there  for  water;  and  the 
people  murmured  against  Moses,  and  said : 

"Wherefore  is  this  that  thou  hast  brought  us  up  out  of 
Egypt,  to  kill  us  and  our  children  and  our  cattle  with  thirst?  " 
And  Moses  cried  unto  the  Lord,  saying: 

"  What  shall  I  do  unto  this  jDeople?  they  be  almost  ready 
to  stone  me."  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses: 

"  Go  on  before  the  people,  and  take  with  thee  of  the  elders 
of  Israel ;  and  thy  rod,  wherewith  thou  smotest  the  river,  take 
in  thine  hand,  and  go.  Behold,  I  will  stand  before  thee  there 
upon  the  rock  in  Lloreb ;  and  thou  shalt  smite  the  rock,  and 
there  shall  come  water  out  of  it,  that  the  people  may  drink." 
And  Moses  did  so  in  the  sight  of  the  elders  of  Israel.  And  he 
called  the  name  of  the  place  Massah,  and  Meribah,  because 
of  the  chiding  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  because  they 
tempted  the  Lord,  saying,  "  Is  the  Lord  among  us,  or  not?  " 

110 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

Then  came  Amalek,  and  fought  with  Israel  in  Rephidim. 
And  Moses  said  unto  Joshua : 

"  Choose  us  out  men,  and  go  out,  fight  with  Amalek.  To- 
morrow I  will  stand  on  the  top  of  the  hill  with  the  rod  of 
God  in  mine  hand."  So  Joshua  did  as  Moses  had  said  to 
him,  and  fought  with  Amalek;  and  Moses,  Aaron,  and  Hur 
went  up  to  the  top  of  the  hill.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when 
Moses  held  up  his  hand,  that  Israel  prevailed;  and  when 
he  let  down  his  hand,  Amalek  prevailed.  But  Moses'  hands 
were  heavy;  and  they  took  a  stone,  and  put  it  under  him, 
and  he  sat  thereon ;  and  Aaron  and  Hur  stayed  up  his  hands, 
the  one  on  the  one  side,  and  the  other  on  the  other  side;  and 
his  hands  were  steady  until  the  going  down  of  the  sun.  And 
Joshua  discomfited  Amalek  and  his  people  with  the  edge  of 
the  sword.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses : 

"  Write  this  for  a  memorial  in  a  book,  and  rehearse  it  in 
the  ears  of  Joshua :  for  I  will  utterly  put  out  the  remem- 
brance of  Amalek  from  under  heaven." 

In  the  third  month,  when  the  children  of  Israel  were  gone 
forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  the  same  day  came  they  mto 
the  wilderness  of  Sinai.  For  they  were  departed  from  Rephi- 
dim, and  were  come  to  the  desert  of  Sinai,  and  had  pitched 
in  the  wilderness ;  and  there  Israel  camped  before  the  mount. 
And  Moses  went  up  unto  God,  and  the  Lord  called  unto 
him  out  of  the  mountain,  saying: 

"  Thus  shalt  thou  say  to  the  house  of  Jacob,  and  tell  the 

111 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

children  of  Israel :  '  Ye  have  seen  what  I  did  unto  the  Egyp- 
tians, and  how  I  bare  you  on  eagles'  wings,  and  brought  you 
mito  myself.  IS^ow  therefore,  if  ye  will  obey  my  voice  indeed, 
and  keep  my  covenant,  then  ye  shall  be  a  peculiar  treasure 
unto  me  above  all  people;  for  all  the  earth  is  mine.  And  ye 
shall  be  unto  me  a  kingdom  of  priests,  and  an  holy  nation.' 
These  are  the  words  which  thou  shalt  speak  unto  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel."  And  Moses  came  and  called  for  the  elders 
of  the  people,  and  laid  before  their  faces  all  these  words 
which  the  Lord  commanded  him.  And  all  the  people  an- 
swered together,  and  said : 

"  All  that  the  Lord  hath  spoken  we  will  do."  And  Moses 
returned  the  words  of  the  people  unto  the  Lord. 

10.   GOD  GIVES  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS 

And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses : 

"  Go  unto  the  j^eople,  and  sanctify  them  to-day  and  to-mor- 
row and  let  them  wash  their  clothes,  and  be  ready  against 
the  third  day:  for  the  third  day  the  Lord  will  come  down 
in  the  sight  of  all  the  people  upon  mount  Sinai.  And  thou 
shalt  set  bounds  unto  the  people  round  about,  saying,  '  Take 
heed  to  yourselves,  that  ye  go  not  up  into  the  mount,  or 
touch  the  border  of  it :  whosoever  toucheth  the  mount  shall 
be  surely  put  to  death :  there  shall  not  an  hand  touch  it,  but 
he -shall  surely  be  stoned,  or  shot  through;  whether  it  be  beast 

112 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF   THE  ISRAELITES 

or  man,  it  shall  not  live  ' :  when  the  trumpet  soundeth  long, 
they  shall  come  up  to  the  mount." 

And  Moses  went  down  from  the  mount  unto  the  people, 
and  sanctified  the  people ',  and  they  washed  their  clothes.  And 
he  said  unto  the  people: 

"  Be  ready  against  the  third  day." 

And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  third  day  in  the  morning,  that 
there  were  thunders  and  lightnings,  and  a  thick  cloud  upon 
the  mount,  and  the  voice  of  the  trumpet  exceeding  loud;  so 
that  all  the  people  that  was  in  the  camp  trembled.  And 
Moses  brought  forth  the  people  out  of  the  camp  to  meet  with 
God;  and  they  stood  at  the  nether  part  of  the  mount.  And 
mount  Sinai  was  altogether  on  a  smoke,  because  the  Lord 
descended  upon  it  in  fire :  and  the  smoke  thereof  ascended  as 
the  smoke  of  a  furnace,  and  the  whole  mount  quaked  greatly. 
And  when  the  voice  of  the  trumpet  sounded  long,  and 
waxed  louder  and  louder,  Moses  spake,  and  God  answered 
him  by  a  voice.  And  the  Lord  came  down  upon  mount  Sinai, 
on  the  top  of  the  mount :  and  the  Lord  called  Moses  up  to 
the  top  of  the  mount;  and  Moses  went  up.  And  the  Lord 
said  unto  Moses : 

"  Go  down,  charge  the  people,  lest  they  break  through 
unto  the  Lord  to  gaze,  and  many  of  them  perish.  And  let 
the  priests  also,  which  come  near  to  the  Lord,  sanctify 
themselves,  lest  the  Lord  break  forth  upon  them."   And 

Moses  said  unto  the  Lord: 

113 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

"  The  people  cannot  come  up  to  mount  Sinai :  for  thou 
chargedst  us,  saying,  'Set  bounds  about  the  mount,  and 
sanctify  it.'  "  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him: 

"Away,  get  thee  down,  and  thou  shalt  come  up,  thou,  and 
Aaron  with  thee:  but  let  not  the  priests  and  the  people 
break  through  to  come  up  unto  the  Lord,  lest  he  break 
forth  upon  them.'-  So  Moses  went  down  unto  the  people, 
and  s^^ake  unto  them. 

And  God  spake  all  these  words,  saying: 

"  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  have  brought  thee  out 
of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the  house  of  bondage. 

"  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me. 

"  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven  image,  or  any 
likeness  of  any  thing  that  is  in  heaven  above,  or  that  is  in 
the  earth  beneath,  or  that  is  in  the  water  under  the  earth : 
Thou  shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  to  them,  nor  serve  them : 
for  I  the  Lord  thy  God  am  a  jealous  God,  visiting  the  ini- 
quity of  the  fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and 
fourth  generation  of  them  that  hate  me ;  and  shewing  mercy 
unto  thousands  of  them  that  love  me,  and  keep  my  com- 
mandments. 

"  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in 
vain ;  for  the  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his 
name  in  vain. 

"  Kemember  the  sabbath  day,  to  keep  it  holy.  Six  days  shalt 
thou  labour,  and  do  all  thy  work :  but  the  seventh  day  is  the 

114 


MOSES    COMING    DOWN    FROM    MT.    SINAI 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God:  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any 
work,  thou,  nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daughter,  thy  manservant, 
nor  thy  maidservant,  nor  thy  cattle,  nor  thy  stranger  that  is 
within  thy  gates :  for  in  six  days  the  Lord  made  heaven  and 
earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is,  and  rested  the  seventh 
day :  wherefore  the  Lord  blessed  the  sabbath  day,  and  hal- 
lowed it. 

"  Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother :  that  thy  days  may 
be  long  upon  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee. 

"  Thou  shalt  not  kill. 

"  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery. 

"  Thou  shalt  not  steal. 

"  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbour. 

"  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  house,  thou  shalt 
not  covet  thy  neighbour's  wife,  nor  his  manservant,  nor  his 
maidservant,  nor  his  ox,  nor  his  ass,  nor  anything  that  is  thy 
neighbour's." 

And  all  the  i^eople  saw  the  thunderings,  and  the  light- 
nings, and  the  noise  of  the  trumpet,  and  the  mountain  smok- 
ing: and  when  the  people  saw  it,  they  removed,  and  stood 
afar  off.  And  they  said  unto  Moses : 

"Speak  thou  with  us,  and  we  will  hear:  but  let  not 
God  speak  with  us,  lest  we  die."  And  Moses  said  unto  the 
people : 

"  Fear  not :  for  God  is  come  to  "prove  you,  and  that  his 
fear  may  be  before  their  faces,  that  ye  sin  not."  And  the 

115 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

people  stood  afar  off,  and  Moses  drew  near  unto  the  thick 
darkness  where  God  was. 


11.    THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  GOLDEN  CALF 

And  Moses  went  up  into  the  mount,  and  a  cloud  covered 
the  mount.  And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  abode  upon  mount 
Sinai,  and  the  cloud  covered  it  six  days:  and  the  seventh  day 
he  called  unto  Moses  out  of  the  midst  of  the  cloud.  And  the 
sight  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord  was  like  devouring  fire  on 
the  top  of  the  mount  in  the  eyes  of  the  children  of  Israel. 
And  Moses  went  into  the  midst  of  the  cloud,  and  gat  him  up 
into  the  mount :  and  Moses  was  in  the  mount  forty  days  and 
forty  nights. 

And  when  the  people  saw  that  Moses  delayed  to  come 
down  out  of  the  mount,  the  people  gathered  themselves  to- 
gether unto  Aaron,  and  said  unto  him : 

"  Up,  make  us  gods,  which  shall  go  before  us ;  for  as  for 
this  Moses,  the  man  that  brought  us  up  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt,  we  wot  not  what  is  become  of  him."  And  Aaron  said 
unto  them: 

"  Break  off  the  golden  earrings,  which  are  in  the  ears  of 
your  wives,  of  your  sons,  and  of  your  daughters,  and  bring 
them  unto  me."  And  all  the  people  brake  off  the  golden  ear- 
rings which  were  in  their  ears,  and  brought  them  unto  Aaron. 
And  he  received  them  at  their  hand,  and  fashioned  it  with  a 

116 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

graying  tool,  after  he  had  made  it  a  molten  calf;  and  they 
said: 

"  These  be  thy  gods,  O  Israel,  which  brought  thee  up  out 
of  the  land  of  Egyjot."  And  when  Aaron  saw  it,  he  built 
an  altar  before  it;  and  Aaron  made  proclamation,  and  said: 

"  To-morrow  is  a  feast  to  the  Lord."  And  they  rose  up 
early  on  the  morrow,  and  offered  burnt  offerings,  and 
brought  peace  offerings ;  and  the  people  sat  down  to  eat  and 
to  drink,  and  rose  up  to  play.  And  the  Lord  said  mito 
Moses : 

"  Go,  get  thee  down ;  for  thy  people,  which  thou  brought- 
est  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  have  corrupted  themselves. 
They  have  turned  aside  quickly  out  of  the  way  which  I  com- 
manded them ;  they  have  made  them  a  molten  calf,  and  have 
worshipped  it,  and  have  sacrificed  thereunto,  and  said, '  These 
be  thy  gods,  O  Israel,  which  have  brought  thee  up  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt.'  "  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses : 

"I  have  seen  this  people,  and,  behold,  it  is  a  stiff  necked 
people.  Now  therefore  let  me  alone,  that  my  wrath  may  wax 
hot  against  them,  and  that  I  may  consume  them ;  and  I  will 
make  of  thee  a  great  nation."  And  Moses  besought  the  Lord 
his  God,  and  said: 

"Lord,  why  doth  thy  wrath  wax  hot  against  thy  people, 
which  thou  hast  brought  forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  with 
great  power,  and  with  a  mighty  hand  ?  Wherefore  should 
the  Egyptians  speak,  and  say,  'For  mischief  did  he  bring 

117 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

them  out,  to  slay  them  in  the  momitains,  and  to  consume  them 
from  the  face  of  the  earth'?  Turn  from  thy  fierce  wrath,  and 
re^Dcnt  of  this  evil  against  thy  people.  Remember  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Israel,  thy  servants,  to  whom  thou  swarest  by 
thine  own  self,  and  saidst  unto  them,  '  I  will  multiply  your 
seed  as  the  stars  of  heaven,  and  all  this  land  that  I  have 
spoken  of  will  I  give  unto  your  seed,  and  they  shall  inherit 
it  forever.' "  And  the  Lord  repented  of  the  evil  which  he 
thought  to  do  unto  his  people.  And  Moses  turned,  and  went 
down  from  the  mount,  and  the  two  tables  of  the  testimony 
were  in  his  hand;  the  tables  were  written  on  both  their  sides; 
on  the  one  side  and  on  the  other  were  they  written.  And  the 
tables  were  the  work  of  God,  and  the  writing  was  the  writing 
of  God,  graven  upon  the  tables.  And  when  Joshua  heard  the 
noise  of  the  people  as  they  shouted,  he  said  unto  Moses: 
"There  is  a  noise  of  war  in  the  camp."  And  he  said: 
"  It  is  not  the  voice  of  them  that  shout  for  mastery,  neither 
is  it  the  voice  of  them  that  cry  for  being  overcome;  but  the 
noise  of  them  that  sing  do  I  hear."  And  it  came  to  pass,  as 
soon  as  he  came  nigh  unto  the  camj),  that  he  saw  the  calf, 
and  the  dancing;  and  Moses'  anger  waxed  hot,  and  he  cast  the 
tables  out  of  his  hands,  and  brake  them  beneath  the  mount. 
And  he  took  the  calf  which  they  had  made,  and  burnt  it  in 
the  fire,  and  ground  it  to  powder,  and  strawed  it  upon  the 
water,  and  made  the  children  of  Israel  drink  of  it.  And 
Moses  said  unto  Aaron : 

118 


THE  EMIGRATION   OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

"  What  did  this  people  unto  thee,  that  thou  hast  brought 
so  great  a  sin  upon  them?"  And  Aaron  said: 

"  Let  not  the  anger  of  my  lord  wax  hot.  Thou  knowest 
the  people,  that  they  are  set  on  mischief.  For  they  said  unto 
me,  'Make  us  gods,  which  shall  go  before  us;  for  as  for  this 
Moses,  the  man  that  brought  us  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
we  wot  not  what  is  become  of  him.'  And  I  said  unto  them, 
'  Whosoever  hath  any  gold,  let  them  break  it  off.'  So  they 
gave  it  me ;  then  I  cast  it  into  the  fire  and  there  came  out 
this  calf."  Then  Moses  stood  in  the  gate  of  the  camp,  and 
said: 

"  Who  is  on  the  Lord's  side?  let  him  come  unto  me."  And 
all  the  sons  of  Levi  gathered  themselves  together  imto  him. 
And  he  said  unto  them,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Grod  of  Israel, 
'Put  every  man  his  sword  by  his  side,  and  go  in  and  out 
from  gate  to  gate  throughout  the  camp,  and  slay  every  man 
his  brother,  and  every  man  his  companion,  and  every  man  his 
neighbour.' "  And  the  children  of  Levi  did  according  to  the 
word  of  Moses :  and  there  fell  of  the  people  that  day  about 
three  thousand  men.  For  Moses  had  said,  "  Consecrate  your- 
selves to-day  to  the  Lord,  even  every  man  upon  his  son,  and 
upon  his  brother;  that  he  may  bestow  upon  you  a  blessing 
this  day."  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  morrow,  that  Moses 
said  unto  the  people : 

"  Ye  have  sinned  a  great  sin,  and  now  I  will  go  up  unto  the 
Lord;  peradventure  I  shall  make  an  atonement  for  your  sin." 

119 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

And  Moses  returned  unto  the  Lord,  and  said,  "  Oh,  this  peo- 
ple have  sinned  a  great  sin,  and  have  made  them  gods  of 
gold.  Yet  now,  if  thou  wilt  forgive  their  sin — ;  and  if  not, 
blot  me,  I  pray  thee,  out  of  thy  book  which  thou  hast  writ- 
ten." And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses: 

"  Whosoever  hath  sinned  against  me,  him  will  I  blot  out 
of  my  book.  Therefore  now  go,  lead  the  peojDle  unto  the 
place  of  which  I  have  spoken  unto  thee :  behold,  mine  Angel 
shall  go  before  thee;  nevertheless  in  the  day  when  I  visit  I 
will  visit  their  sin  upon  them."  And  the  Lord  plagued  the 
jDCople,  because  they  made  the  calf,  which  Aaron  made. 

12.  THE  BUILDING  OF  THE  TABERNACLE 

And  Moses  spake  unto  all  the  congregation  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  saying :  "  This  is  the  thing  which  the  Lord 
commanded,  saying: 

"  '  Take  ye  from  among  you  an  offering  unto  the  Lord : 
whosoever  is  of  a  willing  heart,  let  him  bring  it,  an  offering 
of  the  Lord ;  gold,  and  silver,  and  brass,  and  blue,  and  purple, 
and  scarlet,  and  fine  linen,  and  goats'  hair,  and  rams'  skins 
dyed  red,  and  badgers'  skins,  and  shittim  wood,  and  oil  for 
the  light,  and  spices  for  anointing  oil,  and  for  the  sweet 
incense,  and  onyx  stones,  and  stones  to  be  set  for  the  ephod, 
and  for  the  breastplate.  And  every  wise-hearted  among  you 
shsAl  come,  and  make  all  that  the  Lord  hath  commanded; 

120 


THE  EMIGRATION   OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

the  tabernacle,  his  tent,  and  his  covering,  his  taches,  and  his 
boards,  his  bars,  his  pillars,  and  his  sockets,  the  ark,  and  the 
staves  thereof,  with  the  mercy  seat,  and  the  vail  of  the  cov- 
ering, the  table,  and  his  staves,  and  all  his  vessels,  and  the 
shewbread,  the  candlestick  also  for  the  light,  and  his  furni- 
ture, and  his  lamps,  with  the  oil  for  the  light,  and  the  in- 
cense altar,  and  his  staves,  and  the  anointing  oil,  and  the 
sweet  incense,  and  the  hanging  for  the  door  at  the  entering 
in  of  the  tabernacle,  the  altar  of  burnt  offering,  with  his 
brasen  grate,  his  staves,  and  all  his  vessels,  the  laver  and 
his  foot,  the  hangings  of  the  court,  his  pillars,  and  their 
sockets,  and  the  hanging  for  the  door  of  the  court,  the  pins 
of  the  tabernacle,  and  the  pins  of  the  court,  and  their  cords, 
the  cloths  of  service,  to  do  service  in  the  holy  place,  the  holy 
garments  for  Aaron  the  priest,  and  the  garments  of  his  sons, 
to  minister  in  the  priest's  office.' " 

And  all  the  congregation  of  the  children  of  Israel  de- 
parted from  the  presence  of  Moses.  And  they  came,  every- 
one whose  heart  stirred  him  up,  and  every  one  whom  his 
spirit  made  willing,  and  they  brought  the  Lord's  offering  to 
the  work  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  and  for  all 
his  service,  and  for  the  holy  garments.  And  they  came,  both 
men  and  women,  as  many  as  were  wiUing-hearted,  and 
brought  bracelets,  and  earrings,  and  rings,  and  tablets,  all 
jewels  of  gold:  and  every  man  that  offered  offered  an  offer- 
ing of  gold  unto  the  Lord.  And  every  man,  with  whom  was 

121 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

found  blue,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  and  fine  linen,  and  goats' 
hair,  and  red  skins  of  rams,  and  badgers'  skins,  brought 
them.  Every  one  that  did  offer  an  offering  of  silver  and 
brass  brought  the  Lord's  offering:  and  every  man,  with 
whom  was  found  shittim  wood  for  any  work  of  the  service, 
brought  it.  And  all  the  women  that  were  wise-hearted  did 
spin  with  their  hands,  and  brought  that  which  they  had  sj)un, 
both  of  blue,  and  of  purple,  and  of  scarlet,  and  of  fine  linen. 
And  all  the  women  whose  heart  stirred  them  up  in  wisdom 
spun  goats'  hair.  And  the  rulers  brought  onyx  stones,  and 
stones  to  be  set,  for  the  ephod,  and  for  the  breastplate; 
and  spice,  and  oil  for  the  light,  and  for  the  anointing  oil,  and 
for  the  sweet  incense.  The  children  of  Israel  brought  a  will- 
ing offering  unto  the  Lord,  every  man  and  woman,  whose 
heart  made  them  willing  to  bring  for  all  manner  of  work, 
which  the  Lord  had  commanded  to  be  made  by  the  hand  of 
Moses. 

And  Moses  said  unto  the  children  of  Israel: 
"  See,  the  Lord  hath  called  by  name  Bezaleel  the  son  of 
Uri,  the  son  of  Hur,  of  the  tribe  of  Judah;  and  he  hath  filled 
him  with  the  spirit  of  God,  in  wisdom,  in  understanding,  and 
in  knowledge,  and  in  all  manner  of  workmanship;  and  to 
devise  curious  works,  to  work  in  gold,  and  in  silver,  and  in 
brass,  and  in  the  cutting  of  stones,  to  set  them,  and  in  carv- 
ing of  wood,  to  make  any  manner  of  cunning  work.  And  he 
hath  put  in  his  heart  that  he  may  teach,  both  he,  and  Aholiab, 

122 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

the  son  of  Ahisamach,  of  the  tribe  of  Dan.  Them  hath  he 
filled  with  wisdom  of  heart,  to  work  all  manner  of  work,  of 
the  engraver,  and  of  the  cunning  workman,  and  of  the  em- 
broiderer, in  blue,  and  m  purple,  in  scarlet,  and  in  fine  linen, 
and  of  the  weaver,  even  of  them  that  do  any  work,  and  of 
those  that  devise  cunning  work." 

Then  wrought  Bezaleel  and  Aholiab,  and  every  wise- 
hearted  man,  in  whom  the  Lord  put  wisdom  and  under- 
standing to  know  how  to  work  all  manner  of  work  for  the 
service  of  the  sanctuary,  according  to  all  that  the  Lord  had 
commanded.  And  Moses  called  Bezaleel  and  Aholiab,  and 
every  wise-hearted  man,  in  whose  heart  the  Lord  had  put  wis- 
dom, even  every  one  whose  heart  stirred  him  up  to  come  unto 
the  work  to  do  it :  and  they  received  of  Moses  all  the  offer- 
ing, which  the  children  of  Israel  had  brought  for  the  work 
of  the  service  of  the  sanctuary,  to  make  it  withal.  And  they 
brought  yet  unto  him  free  offerings  every  morning.  And 
all  the  wise  men,  that  wrought  all  the  work  of  the  sanctu- 
ary, came  every  man  from  his  work  which  they  made ;  and 
they  spake  unto  Moses,  saying : 

"  The  people  bring  much  more  than  enough  for  the  ser- 
vice of  the  work,  which  the  Lord  commanded  to  make."  And 
Moses  gave  commandment,  and  they  caused  it  to  be  pro- 
claimed throughout  the  camp,  saying : 

"  Let  neither  man  nor  woman  make  any  more  work  for 
the  offering  of  the  sanctuary."  So  the  people  were  restrained 

123 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

from  bringing.  For  the  stuff  they  had  was  sufficient  for  all 
the  work  to  make  it,  and  too  much.  According  to  all  that  the 
Lord  commanded  Moses,  so  the  children  of  Israel  made  all 
the  work.  And  Moses  did  look  upon  all  the  work,  and,  be- 
hold, they  had  done  it  as  the  Lord  had  commanded,  even  so 
had  they  done  it:  and  Moses  blessed  them. 

And  Moses  reared  uj)  the  tabernacle,  and  fastened  his 
sockets,  and  set  up  the  boards  thereof,  and  put  in  the  bars 
thereof,  and  reared  up  his  pillars.  And  he  spread  abroad  the 
tent  over  the  tabernacle,  and  put  the  covering  of  the  tent 
above  upon  it;  as  the  Lord  commanded  Moses.  And  he  took 
and  put  the  testimony  into  the  ark,  and  set  the  staves  on  the 
ark,  and  put  the  mercy  seat  above  upon  the  ark:  and  he 
brought  the  ark  into  the  tabernacle,  and  set  up  the  vail  of 
the  covering,  and  covered  the  ark  of  the  testimony;  as  the 
Lord  commanded  Moses.  And  he  put  the  table  in  the  tent  of 
the  congregation,  upon  the  side  of  the  tabernacle  northward, 
without  the  vail.  And  he  set  the  bread  in  order  upon  it  be- 
fore the  Lord;  as  the  Lord  had  commanded  Moses.  And 
he  put  the  candlestick  in  the  tent  of  the  congregation,  over 
against  the  table,  on  the  side  of  the  tabernacle  southward. 
And  he  lighted  the  lamps  before  the  Lord ;  as  the  Lord  com- 
manded Moses.  And  he  put  the  golden  altar  in  the  tent  of 
the  congregation  before  the  vail :  and  he  burnt  sweet  incense 
thereon;  as  the  Lord  commanded  Moses.  And  he  set  up  the 
hanging  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle.  And  he  put  the  altar 

124 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

of  burnt  offering  by  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  tent 
of  the  congregation,  and  offered  upon  it  the  burnt  offering 
and  the  meat  offering;  as  the  Lord  commanded  Moses.  And 
he  set  the  layer  between  the  tent  of  the  congregation  and  the 
altar,  and  put  water  there,  to  wash  withal.  And  Moses  and 
Aaron  and  his  sons  washed  their  hands  and  their  feet  thereat. 
When  they  went  into  the  tent  of  the  congregation,  and  when 
they  came  near  unto  the  altar,  they  washed;  as  the  Lord  com- 
manded Moses.  And  he  reared  up  the  court  round  about  the 
tabernacle  and  the  altar,  and  set  up  the  hanging  of  the  court 
gate.  So  Moses  finished  the  work. 

Then  a  cloud  covered  the  tent  of  the  congregation,  and 
the  glory  of  the  Lord  filled  the  tabernacle.  And  Moses  was 
not  able  to  enter  into  the  tent  of  the  congregation,  because 
the  cloud  abode  thereon,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  filled  the 
tabernacle.  And  when  the  cloud  was  taken  up  from  over 
the  tabernacle,  the  children  of  Israel  went  onward  in  all  their 
journeys :  but  if  the  cloud  were  not  taken  up,  then  they  jour- 
neyed not  till  the  day  that  it  was  taken  up.  For  the  cloud  of 
the  Lord  was  upon  the  tabernacle  by  day,  and  fire  was  on  it 
by  night,  in  the  sight  of  all  the  house  of  Israel,  throughout 
all  their  journeys. 


125 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

13.    BALAAM  BLESSES  THE  CHILDREN  OF  ISRAEL 

And  the  children  of  Israel  set  forward,  and  pitched  in  the 
plains  of  Moab  on  this  side  Jordan  by  Jericho.  And  Moab 
was  sore  afraid  of  the  people,  because  they  were  many :  and 
Moab  was  distressed  because  of  the  children  of  Israel.  And 
Moab  said  unto  the  elders  of  Midian,  "  JSTow  shall  this  com- 
pany lick  up  all  that  are  round  about  us,  as  the  ox  licketh 
up  the  grass  of  the  field."  And  Balak  the  son  of  Zippor  w^as 
king  of  the  Moabites  at  that  time.  He  sent  messengers  there- 
fore unto  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor  to  Pethor,  which  is  by  the 
river  of  the  land  of  the  children  of  his  people,  to  call  him, 
saying : 

"  Behold,  there  is  a  people  come  out  from  Egypt :  behold, 
they  cover  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  they  abide  over  against 
me.  Come  now  therefore,  I  pray  thee,  curse  me  this  people ; 
for  they  are  too  mighty  for  me :  peradventure  I  shall  prevail, 
that  we  may  smite  them,  and  that  I  may  drive  them  out  of 
the  land:  for  I  wot  that  he  whom  thou  blessest  is  blessed, 
and  he  whom  thou  cursest  is  cursed." 

And  the  elders  of  Moab  and  the  elders  of  Midian  departed 
with  the  rewards  of  divination  in  their  hand;  and  they  came 
unto  Balaam,  and  sj^ake  unto  him  the  words  of  Balak.  And 
he  said  unto  them : 

"  Lodge  here  this  night,  and  I  will  bring  you  word  again, 
as  the  Lord  shall  speak  unto  me : "  and  the  princes  of  Moab 

126 


THE  EMIGRATION   OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

abode  with  Balaam.  And  God  came  unto  Balaam,  and 
said: 

"What  men  are  these  with  thee?"  And  Balaam  said  unto 
God: 

"Balak,  the  son  of  Zippor,  king  of  Moab,  hath  sent  unto 
me,  saying,  '  Behold,  there  is  a  people  come  out  of  Egypt, 
which  covereth  the  face  of  the  earth :  come  now,  curse  me 
them ;  peradventure  I  shall  be  able  to  overcome  them,  and 
drive  them  out.'  "  And  God  said  mito  Balaam: 

"Thou  shalt  not  go  with  them;  thou  shalt  not  curse  the 
people :  for  they  are  blessed." 

And  Balaam  rose  up  in  the  morning,  and  said  unto  the 
princes  of  Balak,  "  Get  you  into  your  land:  for  the  Lord  re- 
fuseth  to  give  me  leave  to  go  with  you."  And  the  princes  of 
Moab  rose  up,  and  they  went  unto  Balak,  and  said,  "  Balaam 
refuseth  to  come  with  us." 

And  Balak  sent  yet  again  princes,  more,  and  more  honour- 
able than  they.  And  they  came  to  Balaam,  and  said  to  him: 

"  Thus  saith  Balak  the  son  of  Zippor,  'Let  nothing,  I  pray 
thee,  hinder  thee  from  coming  unto  me :  for  I  will  promote 
thee  unto  very  great  honour,  and  I  will  do  whatsoever  thou 
sayest  unto  me :  come  therefore,  I  pray  thee,  curse  me  this 
people.' "  And  Balaam  answered  and  said  unto  the  servants 
of  Balak: 

"If  Balak  would  give  me  his  house  full  of  silver  and  gold, 
I  cannot  go  beyond  the  word  of  the  Lord  my  God,  to  do  less 

127 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

or  more.  I^ow  therefore,  I  pray  you,  tarry  ye  also  here  this 
night,  that  I  may  know  what  the  Lord  will  say  unto  me  more." 

And  God  came  unto  Balaam  at  night,  and  said  unto  him : 

"  If  the  men  come  to  call  thee,  rise  up,  and  go  with  them ;  but 
yet  the  word  which  I  shall  say  unto  thee,  that  shalt  thou  do." 

And  Balaam  rose  up  in  the  morning,  and  saddled  his  ass, 
and  went  with  the  princes  of  Moab.  And  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  stood  in  the  way  for  an  adversary  against  him.  IS^ow 
he  was  riding  upon  his  ass,  and  his  two  servants  were  with 
him.  And  the  ass  saw  the  angel  of  the  Lord  standing  in  the 
way,  and  his  sword  drawn  in  his  hand :  and  the  ass  turned 
aside  out  of  the  way,  and  went  into  the  field :  and  Balaam 
smote  the  ass,  to  turn  her  into  the  way.  But  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  stood  in  a  path  of  the  vineyards,  a  wall  being  on  this 
side,  and  a  wall  on  that  side.  And  when  the  ass  saw  the  angel 
of  the  Lord,  she  thrust  herself  unto  the  wall,  and  crushed 
Balaam's  foot  against  the  wall :  and  he  smote  her  again.  And 
the  angel  of  the  Lord  went  further,  and  stood  in  a  narrow 
place,  where  was  no  way  to  turn  either  to  the  right  hand  or  to 
the  left.  And  when  the  ass  saw  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  she  fell 
down  under  Balaam:  and  Balaam's  anger  was  kindled,  and 
he  smote  the  ass  with  a  staff.  And  the  Lord  opened  the 
mouth  of  the  ass,  and  she  said  unto  Balaam : 

"  What  have  I  done  unto  thee,  that  thou  hast  smitten  me 
these  three  times?  "  And  Balaam  said  unto  the  ass : 

-"  Because  thou  hast  mocked  me :  I  would  there  were  a 

128 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

sword  in  mine  liand,  for  now  would  I  kill  thee."  And  the 
ass  said  unto  Balaam: 

"  Am  not  I  thine  ass,  upon  which  thou  hast  ridden  ever 
since  I  was  thine  unto  this  day?  was  I  ever  wont  to  do  so 
unto  thee?"  And  he  said,  "IS'ay." 

Then  the  Lord  opened  the  eyes  of  Balaam,  and  he  saw  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  standing  in  the  way,  and  his  sword  drawn 
in  his  hand:  and  he  bowed  down  his  head,  and  fell  flat  on 
his  face.  And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  said  unto  him: 

"Wherefore  hast  thou  smitten  thine  ass  these  three  times? 
behold,  I  went  out  to  withstand  thee,  because  thy  way  is 
perverse  before  me:  And  the  ass  saw  me,  and  turned  from 
me  these  three  times :  unless  she  had  turned  from  me,  surely 
now  also  I  had  slain  thee,  and  saved  her  alive."  And 
Balaam  said  unto  the  angel  of  the  Lord: 

"  I  have  sinned;  for  I  knew  not  that  thou  stoodest  in  the 
way  against  me :  now  therefore,  if  it  displease  thee,  I  will 
get  me  back  again."  Ajid  the  angel  of  the  Lord  said  unto 
Balaam : 

"  Go  with  the  men :  but  only  the  word  that  I  shall  speak 
unto  thee,  that  thou  shalt  speak."  So  Balaam  went  with  the 
princes  of  Balak. 

And  w^hen  Balak  heard  that  Balaam  was  come,  he  went 
out  to  meet  him  unto  a  city  of  Moab,  which  is  in  the  border 
of  Arnon,  which  is  in  the  utmost  coast.  And  Balak  said 
imto  Balaam: 

129 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

"Did  I  not  earnestly  send  unto  thee  to  call  thee  ? 
wherefore  earnest  thou  not  unto  me  ?  am  I  not  able  in- 
deed to  promote  thee  to  honour  ?  "  And  Balaam  said  unto 
Balak : 

"  Lo,  I  am  come  mito  thee :  have  I  now  any  power  at  all 
to  say  any  thing?  the  word  that  God  putteth  in  my  mouth, 
that  shall  I  speak." 

And  Balaam  went  with  Balak,  and  they  came  unto  Kir- 
jath-huzoth.  And  Balak  offered  oxen  and  sheep,  and  sent 
to  Balaam,  and  to  the  princes  that  were  with  him. 

And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  morrow,  that  Balak  took 
Balaam,  and  brought  him  up  into  the  high  places  of  Baal, 
that  thence  he  might  see  the  utmost  part  of  the  people.  And 
Balaam  said  unto  Balak: 

"  Build  me  here  seven  altars,  and  prepare  me  here  seven 
oxen  and  seven  rams."  And  Balak  did  as  Balaam  had 
spoken ;  and  Balak  and  Balaam  offered  on  every  altar  a  bul- 
lock and  a  ram.  And  Balaam  said  unto  Balak: 

"  Stand  by  thy  burnt  offering,  and  I  will  go :  peradventure 
the  Lord  will  come  to  meet  me:  and  whatsoever  he  sheweth 
me  I  will  tell  thee."  And  he  went  to  an  high  place.  And 
God  met  Balaam :  and  he  said  unto  him : 

"  I  have  prepared  seven  altars,  and  I  have  offered  upon 
every  altar  a  bullock  and  a  ram."  And  the  Lord  put  a  word 
in  Balaam's  mouth,  and  said,  "  Return  unto  Balak,  and  thus 
thou  shalt  speak."   And  he  returned  unto  him,  and,  lo,  he 

130 


THE  EMIGRATION   OF   THE  ISRAELITES 

stood  by  his  burnt  sacrifice,  he,  and  all  the  princes  of  Moab. 
And  he  took  up  his  parable,  and  said: 

"  Balak  the  king  of  Moab  hath  brought  me  from  Ai'am, 
out  of  the  mountains  of  the  east,  saying,  '  Come,  curse  me 
Jacob,  and  come,  defy  Israel.'  How  shall  I  curse,  whom  God 
hath  not  cursed  ?  or  how  shall  I  defy,  whom  the  Lord  hath 
not  defied  ?  For  from  the  top  of  the  rocks  I  see  him,  and 
from  the  hills  I  behold  him :  lo,  the  people  shall  dwell  alone, 
and  shall  not  be  reckoned  among  the  nations.  Who  can 
count  the  dust  of  Jacob,  and  the  number  of  the  fourth  part 
of  Israel  ?  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my 
last  end  be  like  his !  "  And  Balak  said  unto  Balaam : 

"  What  hast  thou  done  unto  me  ?  I  took  thee  to  curse 
mine  enemies,  and,  behold,  thou  hast  blessed  them  alto- 
gether." And  he  answered  and  said: 

"  Must  I  not  take  heed  to  speak  that  which  the  Lord  hath 
put  in  my  mouth  ?  "  And  Balak  said  mito  him : 

"  Come,  I  pray  thee,  with  me  unto  another  j^lace,  from 
whence  thou  mayest  see  them :  thou  shalt  see  but  the  utmost 
part  of  them,  and  shalt  not  see  them  all:  and  curse  me  them 
from  thence." 

And  he  brought  him  into  the  field  of  Zophim,  to  the  top 
of  Pisgah,  and  built  seven  altars,  and  offered  a  bullock  and 
a  ram  on  every  altar.  And  he  said  unto  Balak: 

"  Stand  here  by  thy  burnt  offering,  while  I  meet  the  Lord 
yonder."  And  the  Lord  met  Balaam,  and  put  a  word  in  his 

131 


IN  EARLIEST   TIMES 

month,  and  said,  "Go  again  unto  Balak,  and  say  thus." 
And  when  he  came  to  him,  behold,  he  stood  by  his  burnt 
offering,  and  the  princes  of  Moab  with  him.  And  Balak 
said  unto  him,  "  What  hath  the  Lord  spoken  ? "  And  he 
took  up  his  parable,  and  said: 

"Rise  up,  Balak,  and  hear;  hearken  unto  me,  thou  son  of 
Zippor:  God  is  not  a  man,  that  he  should  lie;  neither  the 
son  of  man,  that  he  should  repent:  hath  he  said,  and  shall 
he  not  do  it  ?  or  hath  he  spoken,  and  shall  he  not  make  it 
good?  Behold,  I  have  received  commandment  to  bless:  and 
he  hath  blessed ;  and  I  cannot  reverse  it.  He  hath  not  beheld 
iniquity  in  Jacob,  neither  hath  he  seen  perverseness  in  Israel : 
the  Lord  his  God  is  with  him,  and  the  shout  of  a  king  is 
among  them.  God  brought  them  out  of  Egypt;  he  hath  as  it 
were  the  strength  of  an  unicorn.  Surely  there  is  no  enchant- 
ment against  Jacob,  neither  is  there  any  divination  against 
Israel :  according  to  this  time  it  shall  be  said  of  Jacob  and 
of  Israel,  What  hath  God  wrought !  Behold,  the  peojDle  shall 
rise  u]y  as  a  great  lion,  and  lift  up  himself  as  a  young  lion : 
he  shall  not  lie  down  until  he  eat  of  the  prey,  and  drink  the 
blood  of  the  slain."  And  Balak  said  unto  Balaam : 

"  IS'either  curse  them  at  all,  nor  bless  them  at  all."  But 
Balaam  answered  and  said  unto  Balak: 

"  Told  not  I  thee,  saying.  All  that  the  Lord  speaketh, 
that  I  must  do?  "  And  Balak  said  unto  Balaam : 

"^'  Come,  I  pray  thee,  I  will  bring  thee  unto  another  place; 

132 


THE  EMIGRATION  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

peradventure  it  will  please  God  that  thou  mayest  curse  me 
them  from  thence."  And  Balak  brought  Balaam  unto  the  top 
of  Peor,  that  looketh  toward  Jeshimon.  And  Balaam  said 
unto  Balak,  "  Build  me  here  seven  altars,  and  prepare  me 
here  seven  bullocks  and  seven  rams."  And  Balak  did  as  Ba- 
laam had  said,  and  offered  a  bullock  and  a  ram  on  every  altar. 

And  Balaam  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  he  saw  Israel  abiding 
in  his  tents  according  to  their  tribes;  and  the  spirit  of  God 
came  upon  him,  and  again  he  blessed  Israel. 

And  Balak's  anger  was  kindled  against  Balaam,  and  he 
smote  his  hands  together:  and  Balak  said  unto  Balaam: 

"  I  called  thee  to  curse  mine  enemies,  and,  behold,  thou 
hast  altogether  blessed  them  these  three  times.  Therefore 
now  flee  thou  to  thy  place :  I  thought  to  promote  thee  unto 
great  honour;  but,  lo,  the  Lord  hath  kept  thee  back  from 
honour."  And  Balaam  said  unto  Balak: 

"  Spake  I  not  also  to  thy  messengers  which  thou  sentest 
unto  me,  saying,  If  Balak  would  give  me  his  house  full  of 
silver  and  gold,  I  cannot  go  beyond  the  commandment  of  the 
Lord,  to  do  either  good  or  bad  of  mine  own  mind;  but  what 
the  Lord  saith,  that  will  I  speak?  "  And  Balaam  rose  up,  and 
went  and  returned  to  his  place :  and  Balak  also  went  his  way. 

14.     THE  DEATH  OF  MOSES 

And  Moses  went  up  from  the  plains  of  Moab  unto  the 
mountain  of  Nebo,  to  the  top  of  Pisgah,  that  is  over  against 

133 


IN  EARLIEST  TIMES 

Jericho.  And  the  Lord  shewed  him  all  the  land  of  Gilead, 
unto  Dan.  And  all  Naphtali,  and  the  land  of  Ephraim,  and 
Manasseh,  and  all  the  land  of  Judah,  unto  the  utmost  sea, 
and  the  south,  and  the  plain  of  the  valley  of  Jericho,  the  city 
of  palm  trees,  unto  Zoar.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him: 

"  This  is  the  land  which  I  sware  unto  Abraham,  unto  Isaac, 
and  unto  Jacob,  saying,  I  will  give  it  unto  thy  seed:  I  have 
caused  thee  to  see  it  with  thine  eyes,  but  thou  shalt  not  go 
over  thither." 

So  Moses  the  servant  of  the  Lord  died  there  in  the  land  of 
Moab,  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord.  And  he  buried 
him  in  a  valley  in  the  land  of  Moab,  over  against  Beth-peor : 
but  no  man  knoweth  of  his  sepulchre  unto  this  day.  And 
Moses  was  an  hundred  and  twenty  years  old  when  he  died: 
his  eye  was  not  dim,  nor  his  natural  force  abated.  And  the 
children  of  Israel  wept  for  Moses  in  the  plains  of  Moab  thirty 
days :  so  the  days  of  weeping  and  mourning  for  Moses  were 
ended. 

And  there  arose  not  a  prophet  since  in  Israel  like  unto 
Moses,  whom  the  Lord  knew  face  to  face,  in  all  the  signs 
and  the  wonders,  which  the  Lord  sent  him  to  do  in  the  land  of 
Egypt  to  Pharaoh,  and  to  all  his  servants,  and  to  all  his  land, 
and  in  all  that  mighty  hand,  and  in  all  the  great  terror  which 
Moses  shewed  in  the  sight  of  all  Israel. 


II 

THE   CHILDREN  OF  ISEABL  IN  THE 
PEOMISED  LAND 


II.    THE   CHILDREN   OF  ISRAEL  IN  THE 

PROMISED  LAND 

THE    CHILDREN    OF    ISRAEL    CROSS    OYER 

JORDAN 

AxD  Joshua  rose  early  in  the  morning;  and  came  to  Jordan, 
he  and  all  the  children  of  Israel,  and  lodged  there  before 
they  passed  over.  And  it  came  to  pass  after  three  days,  that 
the  officers  went  through  the  host;  and  they  commanded  the 
people,  saying: 

"  When  ye  see  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  your 
God,  and  the  priests  the  Levites  bearing  it,  then  ye  shall  re- 
move from  your  place,  and  go  after  it.  Yet  there  shall  be  a 
space  between  you  and  it,  about  two  thousand  cubits  by 
measure :  come  not  near  unto  it,  that  ye  may  know  the  way 
by  which  ye  must  go :  for  ye  have  not  passed  this  way  here- 
tofore." And  Joshua  said  unto  the  people : 

"  Sanctify  yourselves :  for  to-morrow  the  Lord  will  do  won- 
ders among  you."  And  Joshua  spake  unto  the  priests,  saying : 

"  Take  up  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  and  pass  over  before 
the  people."  And  they  took  up  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  and 
w^ent  before  the  people.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Joshua : 

"  This  day  will  I  begin  to  magnify  thee  in  the  sight  of  all 

137 


IN  THE  PROMISED  LAND 

Israel,  that  they  may  know  that,  as  I  was  with  Moses,  so  I 
will  be  with  thee.  And  thou  shalt  command  the  priests  that 
bear  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  saying.  When  ye  are  come  to 
the  brink  of  the  water  of  Jordan,  ye  shall  stand  still  in  Jor- 
dan." 

And  Joshua  said  unto  the  children  of  Israel : 
"  Come  hither,  and  hear  the  words  of  the  Lord  your  God." 
And  Joshua  said, "  Hereby  ye  shall  know  that  the  living  God 
is  among  you,  and  that  he  will  without  fail  drive  out  from 
before  you  the  Canaanites,  and  the  Hittites,  and  the  Hivites, 
and  the  Perizzites,  and  the  Girgashites,  and  the  Amorites,  and 
the  Jebusites.  Behold,  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord 
of  all  the  earth  passeth  over  before  you  into  Jordan.  Now 
therefore  take  you  twelve  men  out  of  the  tribes  of  Israel, 
out  of  every  tribe  a  man.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  as  soon 
as  the  soles  of  the  feet  of  the  priests  that  bear  the  ark  of 
the  Lord,  the  Lord  of  all  the  earth,  shall  rest  in  the  waters 
of  Jordan,  that  the  waters  of  Jordan  shall  be  cut  off  from 
the  waters  that  come  down  from  above ;  and  they  shall  stand 
upon  an  heap." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  people  removed  from  their 
tents,  to  pass  over  Jordan,  and  the  priests  bearing  the  ark 
of  the  covenant  before  the  people;  and  as  they  that  bare  the 
ark  were  come  unto  Jordan,  and  the  feet  of  the  priests  that 
bare  the  ark  were  dipped  in  the  brim  of  the  water,  (for  Jor- 
dim  overfloweth  all  his  banks  all  the  time  of  harvest,)  that 

138 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  ISRAEL  CROSS  OVER  JORDAN 

the  waters  which  came  down  from  above  stood  and  rose  up 
upon  an  heap  very  far  from  the  city  Adam,  that  is  beside 
Zaretan :  and  those  that  came  down  toward  the  sea  of  the 
plain,  even  the  salt  sea,  failed,  and  were  cut  off:  and  the 
people  passed  over  right  against  Jericho.  And  the  priests 
that  bare  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  stood  firm  on 
dry  ground  in  the  midst  of  Jordan,  and  all  the  Israelites 
passed  over  on  dry  ground,  until  all  the  people  were  passed 
clean  over  Jordan. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  all  the  people  were  clean  passed 
over  Jordan,  that  the  Lord  spake  unto  Joshua,  saying : 

"Take  you  twelve  men  out  of  the  people,  out  of  every 
tribe  a  man,  and  command  ye  them,  saying.  Take  you  hence 
out  of  the  midst  of  Jordan,  out  of  the  place  where  the  priests' 
feet  stood  firm,  twelve  stones,  and  ye  shall  carry  them  over 
with  you,  and  leave  them  in  the  lodging  place,  where  ye  shall 
lodge  this  night." 

Then  Joshua  called  the  twelve  men,  whom  he  had  prepared 
of  the  children  of  Israel,  out  of  every  tribe  a  man:  and 
Joshua  said  unto  them: 

"  Pass  over  before  the  ark  of  the  Lord  your  God  into  the 
midst  of  Jordan,  and  take  you  up  every  man  of  you  a  stone 
upon  his  shoulder,  according  unto  the  number  of  the  tribes 
of  the  children  of  Israel:  that  this  may  be  a  sign  among 
you,  that  when  your  children  ask  their  fathers  in  time  to 
come,  saying,  What  mean  ye  by  these  stones?  Then  ye  shall 

139 


IN  THE  PROMISED  LAND 

answer  them,  That  the  waters  of  Jordan  were  cut  off  before 
the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord;  when  it  passed  over 
Jordan,  the  waters  of  Jordan  were  cut  off:  and  these  stones 
shall  be  for  a  memorial  unto  the  children  of  Israel  for 
ever." 

And  the  children  of  Israel  did  so  as  Joshua  commanded, 
and  took  up  twelve  stones  out  of  the  midst  of  Jordan,  as 
the  Lord  spake  unto  Joshua,  according  to  the  number  of  the 
tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  carried  them  over  with 
them  unto  the  place  where  they  lodged,  and  laid  them  down 
there.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  priests  that  bare  the 
ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  were  come  up  out  of 
the  midst  of  Jordan,  and  the  soles  of  the  priests'  feet  were 
lifted  up  unto  the  dry  land,  that  the  waters  of  Jordan  re- 
turned unto  their  place,  and  flowed  over  all  his  banks,  as 
they  did  before. 

And  the  people  came  up  out  of  Jordan  on  the  tenth  day 
of  the  first  month,  and  encamped  in  Gilgal,  in  the  east  bor- 
der of  Jericho.  And  those  twelve  stones,  which  they  took 
out  of  Jordan,  did  Joshua  pitch  in  Gilgal.  And  he  spake 
unto  the  children  of  Israel,  saying: 

"  When  your  children  shall  ask  their  fathers  in  time  to  come, 
saying,  What  mean  these  stones  ?  Then  ye  shall  let  jour 
children  know,  saying,  Israel  came  over  this  Jordan  on  dry 
land.  For  the  Lord  your  God  dried  up  the  waters  of  Jordan 
from  before  you,  until  ye  were  passed  over,  as  the  Lord 

140 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  ISRAEL  CROSS  OVER  JORDAN 

your  God  did  to  the  Red  Sea,  which  he  dried  up  from  be- 
fore us,  until  we  were  gone  over:  that  all  the  people  of  the 
earth  might  know  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  that  it  is  mighty: 
that  ye  might  fear  the  Lord  your  God  for  ever." 


THE  FALL  OF  JERICHO 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Joshua  was  by  Jericho,  that  he 
lifted  up  his  eyes  and  looked,  and,  behold,  there  stood  a  man 
over  against  him  with  his  sword  drawn  in  his  hand:  and 
Joshua  went  unto  him,  and  said  unto  him, 

"Art  thou  for  us,  or  for  our  adversaries?"  And  he  said: 

"  Nay ;  but  as  captain  of  the  host  of  the  Lord  am  I  now 
come."  And  Joshua  fell  on  his  face  to  the  earth,  and  did 
worship,  and  said  unto  him: 

"  "What  saith  my  lord  unto  his  servant?  "  And  the  captain 
of  the  Lord's  host  said  unto  Joshua : 

"  Loose  thy  shoe  from  off  thy  foot;  for  the  place  whereon 
thou  standest  is  holy."  And  Joshua  did  so. 

Now  Jericho  was  straitly  shut  up  because  of  the  children 
of  Israel :  none  went  out,  and  none  came  in.  And  the  Lord 
said  unto  Joshua: 

"  See,  I  have  given  into  thine  hand  Jericho,  and  the  king 
thereof,  and  the  mighty  men  of  valour.  And  ye  shall  com- 
pass the  city,  all  ye  men  of  war,  and  go  round  about  the 
city  once.  Thus  shalt  thou  do  six  days.  And  seven  j^riests 
shall  bear  before  the  ark  seven  trumpets  of  rams'  horns:  and 
the   seventh  day  ye   shall  compass  the  city  seven  times, 

an(i  the  priests  shall  blow  with  the  trumpets.  And  it  shall 

142 


THE  FALL  OF  JERICHO 

come  to  pass,  that  when  they  make  a  long  blast  with  the 
ram's  horn,  and  when  ye  hear  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  all 
the  people  shall  shout  with  a  great  shout;  and  the  wall  of 
the  city  shall  fall  down  flat,  and  the  people  shall  ascend  up 
every  man  straight  before  him." 

And  Joshua  rose  early  in  the  morning,  and  the  priests 
took  up  the  ark  of  the  Lord.  And  seven  priests  bearing 
seven  trumpets  of  rams'  horns  before  the  ark  of  the  Lord 
went  on  continually,  and  blew  with  the  trumpets:  and  the 
armed  men  went  before  them;  but  the  rereward  came  after 
the  ark  of  the  Lord,  the  priests  going  on,  and  blowing  with 
the  trumpets.  And  the  second  day  they  compassed  the  city 
once,  and  returned  into  the  camp :  so  they  did  six  days.  And 
it  came  to  pass  on  the  seventh  day,  that  they  rose  early 
about  the  dawning  of  the  day,  and  compassed  the  city  after 
the  same  manner  seven  times :  only  on  that  day  they  com- 
passed the  city  seven  times.-  And  it  came  to  pass  at  the 
seventh  time,  when  the  priests  blew  with  the  trumpets, 
Joshua  said  unto  the  people,  "Shout;  for  the  Lord  hath  given 
you  the  city." 

So  the  people  shouted  when  the  priests  blew  with  the 
trumpets :  and  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  people  heard  the 
sound  of  the  trumpet,  and  the  people  shouted  with  a  great 
shout,  that  the  wall  fell  down  flat,  so  that  the  people  went 
up  into  the  city,  every  man  straight  before  him,  and  they 
took  the  city. 


THE  WILE  OF  THE  MEN  OF  GIBEON 

And  when  the  inhabitants  of  Gibeon  heard  what  Joshua 
had  done  unto  Jericho,  they  did  work  wilily,  and  went  and 
made  as  if  they  had  been  ambassadors,  and  took  old  sacks 
upon  their  asses,  and  wine  bottles,  old,  and  rent,  and  bound 
up ;  and  old  shoes  and  clouted  upon  their  feet,  and  old  gar- 
ments upon  them;  and  all  the  bread  of  their  j^ro vision  was 
dry  and  mouldy.  And  they  went  to  Joshua,  unto  the  camp 
at  Gilgal,  and  said  unto  him,  and  to  the  men  of  Israel : 

"  "We  be  come  from  a  far  comitry :  now  therefore  make  ye 
a  league  with  us."  And  the  men  of  Israel  said  unto  the 
Hivites: 

" Peradventure  ye  dwell  among  us;  and  how  shall  we 
make  a  league  with  you  ?  "     And  they  said  unto  Joshua : 

"  We  are  thy  servants."  And  Joshua  said  unto  them : 

"  Who  are  ye  ?  and  from  whence  come  ye  ? "  And  they 
said  unto  him: 

"  From  a  very  far  country  thy  servants  are  come  because 
of  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God:  for  we  have  heard  the 
fame  of  him,  and  all  that  he  did  in  Egypt,  and  all  that  he 
did  to  the  two  kings  of  the  Amorites,  that  were  beyond  Jor- 
dan, to  Sihon  king  of  Heshbon,  and  to  Og  king  of  Bashan, 
wRich  was  at  Ashtaroth.  Wherefore  our  elders  and  all  the 

144 


THE  WILE   OF  THE  MEN  OF  GIBEON 

inhabitants  of  our  country  spake  to  us,  saying,  Take  victuals 
with  you  for  the  journey,  and  go  to  meet  them,  and  say  unto 
them,  We  are  your  servants:  therefore  now  make  ye  a 
league  with  us.  This  our  bread  we  took  hot  for  our  provi- 
sion out  of  our  houses  on  the  day  we  came  forth  to  go  unto 
you ;  but  now,  behold,  it  is  dry,  and  it  is  mouldy :  and  these 
bottles  of  wine,  which  we  filled,  were  new;  and, behold,  they 
be  rent :  and  these  our  garments  and  our  shoes  are  become 
old  by  reason  of  the  very  long  journey." 

And  the  men  took  of  their  victuals,  and  asked  not  coun- 
sel at  the  mouth  of  the  Lord.  And  Joshua  made  peace  with 
them,  and  made  a  league  with  them,  to  let  them  live :  and 
the  princes  of  the  congregation  sware  unto  them. 

And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  end  of  three  days  after  they 
had  made  a  league  with  them,  that  they  heard  that  they  were 
their  neighbours,  and  that  they  dwelt  among  them.  And  the 
children  of  Israel  journeyed,  and  came  unto  their  cities  on 
the  third  day.  And  the  children  of  Israel  smote  them  not, 
because  the  princes  of  the  congregation  had  sworn  unto  them 
by  the  Lord  God  of  Israel.  And  all  the  congregation  mur- 
mured against  the  princes.  But  all  the  princes  said  unto  all 
the  congregation: 

"  AYe  have  sworn  unto  them  by  the  Lord  God  of  Israel : 
now  therefore  we  may  not  touch  them.  This  we  will  do  to 
them ;  we  will  even  let  them  live,  lest  wrath  be  upon  us, 
because  of  the  oath  which  we  sware  unto  them."  And  the 

145 


IN  THE  PROMISED  LAND 

princes  said  unto  them,  "  Let  them  live ;  but  let  them  be 
hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water  unto  all  the  congre- 
gation ;  "  as  the  princes  had  promised  them. 

And  Joshua  called  for  them,  and  he  spake  unto  them,  say- 
ing: 

"  Wherefore  have  ye  beguiled  us,  saying,  We  are  very  far 
from  you;  when  ye  dwell  among  us?  Now  therefore  ye  are 
cursed,  and  there  shall  none  of  you  be  freed  from  being  bond- 
men, and  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water  for  the  house 
of  my  God."  Aaid  they  answered  Joshua,  and  said: 

"  Because  it  was  certainly  told  thy  servants,  how  that  the 
Lord  thy  God  commanded  his  servant  Moses  to  give  you  all 
the  land,  and  to  destroy  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  from 
before  you,  therefore  we  were  sore  afraid  of  our  lives  because 
of  you,  and  have  done  this  thing.  And  now,  behold,  we  are 
in  thine  hand:  as  it  seemeth  good  and  right  unto  thee  to  do 
unto  us,  do." 

And  so  did  he  unto  them,  and  delivered  them  out  of  the 
hand  of  the  children  of  Israel,  that  they  slew  them  not.  And 
Joshua  made  them  that  day  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of 
water  for  the  congregation,  and  for  the  altar  of  the  Lord, 
even  unto  this  day,  in  the  place  which  he  should  choose. 


THE  STORY  OF  GIDEON 

1.     THE  CALLING  OF  GIDEON 

And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto  [Gideon],  and 
said  unto  him: 

"  The  Lord  is  with  thee,  thou  mighty  man  of  valour."  And 
Gideon  said  unto  him: 

"  Oh  my  Lord,  if  the  Lord  be  with  us,  why  then  is  all  this 
befallen  us?  and  where  be  all  his  miracles  which  our  fathers 
told  us  of,  saying.  Did  not  the  Lord  bring  us  up  from  Egypt? 
but  now  the  Lord  hath  forsaken  us,  and  delivered  us  into  the 
hands  of  the  Midianites."  And  the  Lord  looked  upon  him, 
and  said: 

"  Go  in  this  thy  might,  and  thou  shalt  save  Israel  from  the 
hand  of  the  Midianites:  have  not  I  sent  thee?"  And  he  said 
unto  him : 

"  Oh  my  Lord,  wherewith  shall  I  save  Israel?  behold,  my 
family  is  poor  in  Manasseh,  and  I  am  the  least  in  my  father's 
house."  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him : 

"  Surely  I  will  be  with  thee,  and  thou  shalt  smite  the  Mid- 
ianites as  one  man."  And  he  said  unto  him : 

"  If  now  I  have  found  grace  in  thy  sight,  then  shew  me  a 
sign  that  thou  talkest  with  me.  Depart  not  hence,  I  pray 

147 


IN  THE  PROMISED   LAND 

thee,  until  I  come  unto  thee,  and  bring  forth  my  present,  and 
set  it  before  thee."  And  he  said: 

"  I  will  tarry  until  thou  come  again." 

And  Gideon  went  in,  and  made  ready  a  kid,  and  unleav- 
ened cakes  of  an  ephah  of  flour:  the  flesh  he  put  in  a  basket, 
and  he  put  the  broth  in  a  pot,  and  brought  it  out  unto  him 
under  the  oak,  and  presented  it.  And  the  angel  of  God  said 
unto  him,  "  Take  the  flesh  and  the  unleavened  cakes,  and  lay 
them  upon  this  rock,  and  pour  out  the  broth."  And  he  did 
so.  Then  the  angel  of  the  Lord  put  forth  the  end  of  the  staff 
that  was  in  his  hand,  and  touched  the  flesh  and  the  unleav- 
ened cakes ;  and  there  rose  up  fire  out  of  the  rock,  and  con- 
sumed the  flesh  and  the  unleavened  cakes.  Then  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  departed  out  of  his  sight. 

And  when  Gideon  perceived  that  he  was  an  angel  of  the 
Lord,  Gideon  said: 

"  Alas,  O  Lord  God !  for  because  I  have  seen  an  angel  of 
the  Lord  face  to  face."  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him : 

"Peace  be  unto  thee;  fear  not:  thou  shalt  not  die."  Then 
Gideon  built  an  altar  there  unto  the  Lord. 


2.   GIDEON  ROUTS  THE  MIDIANITES 

Then  all  the  Midianites  and  the  Amalekites  and  the  chil- 
dren of  the  east  were  gathered  together,  and  went  over,  and 
pitched  in  the  valley  of  Jezreel.  But  the  spirit  of  the  Lord 

148 


THE  STORY  OF  GIDEON 

came  upon  Gideon,  and  he  blew  a  trumpet;  and  Abi-ezer 
was  gathered  after  him.  And  he  sent  messengers  through- 
out all  Manasseh ;  who  also  was  gathered  after  him :  and  he 
sent  messengers  unto  Asher,  and  unto  Zebulun,  and  unto 
Naphtali;  and  they  came  up  to  meet  them.  And  Gideon  said 
unto  God: 

"  If  thou  wilt  save  Israel  by  mine  hand,  as  thou  hast  said, 
Behold,  I  will  put  a  fleece  of  wool  in  the  floor;  and  if  the 
dew  be  on  the  fleece  only,  and  it  be  dry  upon  all  the  earth 
beside,  then  shall  I  know  that  thou  wilt  save  Israel  by  mine 
hand,  as  thou  hast  said."  And  it  was  so :  for  he  rose  up  early 
on  the  morrow,  and  thrust  the  fleece  together,  and  wringed 
the  dew  out  of  the  fleece,  a  bowl  full  of  water.  And  Gideon 
said  unto  God: 

"  Let  not  thine  anger  be  hot  against  me,  and  I  will  speak 
but  this  once :  let  me  prove,  I  pray  thee,  but  this  once  with 
the  fleece;  let  it  now  be  dry  only  upon  the  fleece,  and  upon 
all  the  ground  let  there  be  dew."  And  God  did  so  that 
night:  for  it  was  dry  upon  the  fleece  only,  and  there  was 
dew  on  all  the  ground. 

Then  Gideon,  and  all  the  people  that  were  with  him,  rose 
up  early,  and  pitched  beside  the  well  of  Harod:  so  that  the 
host  of  the  Midianites  were  on  the  north  side  of  them,  by 
the  hill  of  Moreh,  in  the  valley.  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Gideon: 

"  The  people  that  are  with  thee  are  too  many  for  me  to 

149 


IN  THE  PROMISED   LAND 

give  the  Midianites  into  their  hands,  lest  Israel  vaunt  them- 
selves against  me,  saying,  Mine  own  hand  hath  saved  me. 
Now  therefore  go  to,  proclaim  in  the  ears  of  the  people, 
saying.  Whosoever  is  fearful  and  afraid,  let  him  return  and 
depart  early  from  mount  Gilead."  And  there  retm'ned  of 
the  people  twenty  and  two  thousand;  and  there  remained 
ten  thousand.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Gideon: 

"  The  people  are  yet  too  many;  bring  them  down  unto  the 
water,  and  I  will  try  them  for  thee  there :  and  it  shall  be  that 
of  whom  I  say  unto  thee.  This  shall  go  with  thee,  the  same 
shall  go  with  thee ;  and  of  whomsoever  I  say  unto  thee,  This 
shall  not  go  with  thee,  the  same  shall  not  go."  So  he  brought 
down  the  people  unto  the  water:  and  the  Lord  said  unto 
Gideon: 

"  Every  one  that  lappeth  of  the  water  with  his  tongue,  as 
a  dog  lapi^eth,  him  shalt  thou  set  by  himself;  likewise  every 
one  that  boweth  down  upon  his  knees  to  drink."  And  the 
number  of  them  that  lapped,  putting  their  hand  to  their 
mouth,  were  three  hundred  men:  but  all  the  rest  of  the  peo- 
ple bowed  down  upon  their  knees  to  drink  water.  And  the 
Lord  said  unto  Gideon: 

"  By  the  three  hundred  men  that  lapped  will  I  save  you, 
and  deliver  the  Midianites  into  thine  hand :  and  let  all  the 
other  people  go  every  man  unto  his  2:>lace." 

So  the  people  took  victuals  in  their  hand,  and  their  trum- 
pets :  and  he  sent  all  the  rest  of  Israel  every  man  unto  his 

150 


THE  STORY   OF  GIDEON 

tent,  and  retained  those  three  hundred  men:  and  the  host  of 
Midian  was  beneath  hun  in  the  valley. 

And  it  came  to  pass  the  same  night,  that  the  Lord  said 
unto  him: 

"Arise,  get  thee  down  unto  the  host;  for  I  have  delivered 
it  into  thine  hand.  But  if  thou  fear  to  go  dowm,  go  thou 
with  Phurah  thy  servant  down  to  the  host:  and  thou  shalt 
hear  what  they  say;  and  afterward  shall  thine  hands  be 
strengthened  to  go  down  unto  the  host."  Then  went  he 
down  with  Phurah  his  servant  unto  the  outside  of  the  armed 
men  that  were  in  the  host. 

And  the  Midianites  and  the  Amalekites  and  all  the  chil- 
dren of  the  east  lay  along  in  the  valley  like  grasshoppers  for 
multitude;  and  their  camels  were  without  number,  as  the 
sand  by  the  seaside  for  multitude.  And  when  Gideon  w^as 
come,  behold,  there  was  a  man  that  told  a  dream  unto  his 
fellow,  and  said,  "  Behold,  I  dreamed  a  dream,  and,  lo,  a 
cake  of  barley  bread  tumbled  into  the  host  of  Midian,  and 
came  unto  a  tent,  and  smote  it  that  it  fell,  and  overturned  it, 
that  the  tent  lay  along."  And  his  fellow  answered  and  said, 
"  This  is  nothing  else  save  the  sword  of  Gideon  the  son  of 
Joash,  a  man  of  Israel :  for  into  his  hand  hath  God  delivered 
Midian,  and  all  the  host." 

And  it  was  so,  when  Gideon  heard  the  telling  of  the 
dream,  and  the  interpretation  thereof,  that  he  worshipped, 
and  returned  into  the  host  of  Israel,  and  said,  "Arise;  for 

151 


IN  THE  PROMISED   LAND 

the  Lord  hath  delivered  into  your  hand  the  host  of  Midian." 
And  he  divided  the  three  hundred  men  into  three  companies, 
and  he  put  a  trumpet  in  every  man's  hand,  with  empty 
pitchers,  and  lamps  within  the  pitchers.  And  he  said  unto 
them: 

"Look  on  me,  and  do  likewise:  and,  behold,  when  I  come 
to  the  outside  of  the  camp,  it  shall  be  that,  as  I  do,  so  shall 
ye  do.  When  I  blow  with  a  trumpet,  I  and  all  that  are  with 
me,  then  blow  ye  the  trumj^ets  also  on  every  side  of  all  the 
camp,  and  say.  The  sword  of  the  Lord,  and  of  Gideon." 

So  Gideon,  and  the  hundred  men  that  were  with  him,  came 
unto  the  outside  of  the  camp  in  the  beginning  of  the  middle 
watch;  and  they  had  but  newly  set  the  watch:  and  they  blew 
the  trumpets,  and  brake  the  pitchers  that  were  in  their 
hands.  And  the  three  companies  blew  the  trumpets,  and 
brake  the  pitchers,  and  held  the  lamps  in  their  left  hands, 
and  the  trumpets  in  their  right  hands  to  blow  withal :  and 
they  cried,  The  sword  of  the  Lord,  and  of  Gideon.  And  they 
stood  every  man  in  his  place  round  about  the  camp  :  and  all 
the  host  ran,  and  cried,  and  fled.  And  the  three  hundred  blew 
the  trumpets,  and  the  Lord  set  every  man's  sword  against 
his  fellow,  even  throughout  all  the  host:  and  the  host  fled. 
And  the  men  of  Israel  gathered  themselves  together,  and 
pursued  after  the  Midianites,  and  took  the  two  kings  of 
Midian,  Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  and  discomfited  all  the  host. 

Then  the  men  of  Israel  said  unto  Gideon : 

152 


THE  STORY  OF  GIDEON 

"  Rule  thou  over  us,  both  thou,  and  thy  son,  and  thy  son's 
son  also :  for  thou  hast  dehvered  us  from  the  hand  of  Midian." 
And  Gideon  said  unto  them : 

"  I  will  not  rule  over  you,  neither  shall  my  son  rule  over 
you :  the  Lord  shall  rule  over  you." 

I  Thus  was  Midian  subdued  before  the  children  of  Israel,  so 
that  they  lifted  up  their  heads  no  more.  And  the  country  was 
in  quietness  forty  years  in  the  days  of  Gideon.  And  Gideon 
the  son  of  Joash  died  in  a  good  old  age,  and  was  buried  in 
the  sepulchre  of  Joash  his  father. 


JEPHTHAH'S  yOW 

Now  Jephthah  the  Gileadite  was  a  mighty  man  of  valour. 
And  it  came  to  j)ass  in  process  of  time,  that  the  children  of 
Ammon  made  war  against  Israel.  And  it  was  so,  that  when 
the  children  of  Ammon  made  war  against  Israel,  the  elders 
of  Gilead  went  to  fetch  Jephthah  out  of  the  land  of  Tob: 
and  they  said  unto  Jephthah: 

"Come,  and  be  our  captain,  that  we  may  fight  with  the 
children  of  Ammon."  And  Jephthah  said  unto  the  elders  of 
Gilead : 

"  Did  not  ye  hate  me,  and  expel  me  out  of  my  father's 
house?  and  why  are  ye  come  unto  me  now  when  ye  are  in 
distress?"  And  the  elders  of  Gilead  said  unto  Jephthah: 

"  Therefore  we  turn  again  to  thee  now,  that  thou  mayest 
go  with  us,  and  fight  against  the  children  of  Ammon,  and  be 
our  head  over  all  the  inhabitants  of  Gilead."  And  Jephthah 
said  unto  the  elders  of  Gilead: 

"  If  ye  bring  me  home  again  to  fight  against  the  children 
of  Ammon,  and  the  Lord  deliver  them  before  me,  shall  I  be 
your  head?"  And  the  elders  of  Gilead  said  unto  Jephthah: 

"  The  Lord  be  witness  between  us,  if  we  do  not  so  ac- 
cording to  thy  words." 

Then  Jephthah  went  with  the  elders  of  Gilead,  and  the 

154 


JEPHTHAH'S  VOW 

people  made  him  head  and  captain  over  them.  And  Jeph- 
thah  vowed  a  vow  unto  the  Lord,  and  said, "If  thou  shalt 
without  fail  deliver  the  children  of  Ammon  into  mine  hands, 
then  it  shall  be,  that  whatsoever  cometh  forth  of  the  doors  of 
my  house  to  meet  me,  when  I  return  in  peace  from  the  chil- 
dren of  Ammon,  shall  surely  be  the  Lord's,  and  I  will  offer 
it  up  for  a  burnt  offering." 

So  Jephthah  passed  over  unto  the  children  of  Ammon  to 
fight  against  them;  and  the  Lord  delivered  them  into  his 
hands.  And  he  smote  them  from  Aroer,  even  till  thou  come 
to  Minnith,  even  twenty  cities,  and  unto  the  plain  of  the  vine- 
yards, with  a  very  great  slaughter.  Thus  the  children  of 
Ammon  were  subdued  before  the  children  of  Israel. 

And  Jephthah  came  unto  his  house,  and,  behold,  his  daugh- 
ter came  out  to  meet  him  with  timbrels  and  with  dances :  and 
she  was  his  only  child;  beside  her  he  had  neither  son  nor 
daughter.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  saw  her,  that  he 
rent  his  clothes,  and  said: 

"  Alas,  my  daughter  !  thou  hast  brought  me  very  low,  and 
thou  art  one  of  them  that  trouble  me :  for  I  have  opened  my 
mouth  unto  the  Lord,  and  I  cannot  go  back."  And  she  said 
unto  him: 

"My  father,  if  thou  hast  opened  thy  mouth  unto  the  Lord, 
do  to  me  according  to  that  which  hath  proceeded  out  of  thy 
mouth ;  forasmuch  as  the  Lord  hath  taken  vengeance  for  thee 
of  thine  enemies,  even  of  the  children  of  Ammon."  And  she 

155 


IN  THE  PROMISED  LAND 

said  unto  her  father,  "  Let  this  thing  be  done  for  me :  let 
me  alone  two  months,  that  I  may  go  up  and  down  upon  the 
mountains,  and  bewail  my  virginity,  I  and  my  fellows."  And 
he  said,  "Go."  And  he  sent  her  away  for  two  months:  and 
she  went  with  her  companions,  and  bewailed  her  virginity 
upon  the  mountains. 

And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  end  of  two  months,  that  she 
returned  unto  her  father,  who  did  with  her  according  to  his 
vow  which  he  had  vowed.  And  it  was  a  custom  in  Israel, 
that  the  daughters  of  Israel  went  yearly  to  lament  the  daugh- 
ter of  Jephthah  the  Gileadite  four  days  in  a  year. 


SA^ISOlSr,  THE  STE0:N'G  MAl^ 

1.    SMISON'S  RIDDLE 

A:n^d  Samson  went  down  to  Timnath,  and  saw  a  woman  in 
Timnath  of  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines.  And  he  came 
up,  and  told  his  father  and  his  mother,  and  said : 
'  "  I  have  seen  a  woman  in  Timnath  of  the  daughters  of  the 
Philistines :  now  therefore  get  her  for  me  to  wife."  Then  his 
father  and  his  mother  said  unto  him: 

"Is  there  never  a  woman  among  the  daughters  of  thy 
brethren,  or  among  all  my  people,  that  thou  goest  to  take  a 
wife  of  the  Phihstines?"  And  Samson  said  unto  his  father: 

"  Get  her  for  me ;  for  she  pleaseth  me  well."  But  his  father 
and  his  mother  knew  not  that  it  was  of  the  Lord,  that  he 
sought  an  occasion  against  the  Philistines :  for  at  that  time 
the  Philistines  had  dominion  over  Israel. 

Then  went  Samson  down,  and  his  father  and  his  mother, 
to  Timnath,  and  came  to  the  vineyards  of  Timnath :  and,  be- 
hold, a  young  lion  roared  against  him.  And  the  spirit  of  the 
Lord  came  mightily  upon  him,  and  he  rent  him  as  he  would 
have  rent  a  kid,  and  he  had  nothing  in  his  hand :  but  he  told 
not  his  father  or  his  mother  what  he  had  done.  And  he  went 
doAvn,  and  talked  with  the  woman;  and  she  pleased  Samson 
well. 

157 


IN  THE   PROMISED  LAND 

And  after  a  time  he  returned  to  take  her,  and  he  turned 
aside  to  see  the  carcase  of  the  Hon :  and,  behold,  there  was 
a  swarm  of  bees  and  honey  in  the  carcase  of  the  hon.  And 
he  took  thereof  in  his  hands,  and  went  on  eating,  and  came  to 
his  father  and  mother,  and  he  gave  them,  and  they  did  eat: 
but  he  told  not  them  that  he  had  taken  the  honey  out  of  the 
carcase  of  the  lion. 

So  his  father  went  down  unto  the  woman:  and  Samson 
made  there  a  feast ;  for  so  used  the  young  men  to  do.  And 
it  came  to  pass,  when  they  saw  him,  that  they  brought  thirty 
companions  to  be  with  him.  And  Samson  said  unto  them : 

"  I  will  now  put  forth  a  riddle  unto  you :  if  ye  can  certainly 
declare  it  me  within  the  seven  days  of  the  feast,  and  find  it 
out,  then  I  will  give  you  thirty  sheets  and  thirty  change  of 
garments :  but  if  ye  cannot  declare  it  me,  then  shall  ye  give 
me  thirty  sheets  and  thirty  change  of  garments."  And  they 
said  unto  him : 

"Put  forth  thy  riddle,  that  we  may  hear  it."  And  he  said 
unto  them: 

"  Out  of  the  eater  came  forth  meat,  and  out  of  the  strong 
came  forth  sweetness."  And  they  could  not  in  three  days 
expound  the  riddle. 

And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  seventh  day,  that  they  said  unto 
Samson's  wife: 

"  Entice  thy  husband,  that  he  may  declare  unto  us  the 
riddle,  lest  we  burn  thee  and  thy  father's  house  with  fire: 

158 


o 


O 
P 

Pi 
o 

a: 


SAMSON,  THE  STRONG  MAN 

have  ye  called  us  to  tate  that  we  have?  is  it  not  so? "  And 
Samson's  wife  wept  before  him,  and  said: 

"  Thou  dost  but  hate  me,  and  lovest  me  not :  thou  hast 
put  forth  a  riddle  unto  the  children  of  my  people,  and  hast 
not  told  it  me."  And  he  said  unto  her: 

"  Behold,  I  have  not  told  it  my  father  nor  my  mother,  and 
shall  I  tell  it  thee?" 

And  she  wept  before  him  the  seven  days,  while  their  feast 
lasted :  and  it  came  to  pass  on  the  seventh  day,  that  he  told 
her,  because  she  lay  sore  upon  him :  and  she  told  the  riddle 
to  the  children  of  her  people.  And  the  men  of  the  city  said 
unto  him  on  the  seventh  day  before  the  sun  went  down : 

"  What  is  sweeter  than  honey?  and  what  is  stronger  than 
a  lion?"  And  he  said  unto  them: 

"  If  ye  had  not  plowed  with  my  heifer,  ye  had  not  found 
out  my  riddle." 

And  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  him,  and  he  went 
down  to  Ashkelon,  and  slew  thirty  men  of  them,  and  took 
their  spoil,  and  gave  change  of  garments  unto  them  which 
expounded  the  riddle.  And  his  anger  was  kindled,  and  he 
went  up  to  his  father's  house.  But  Samson's  wife  was  given 
to  his  companion,  whom  he  had  used  as  his  friend. 


159 


IN  THE  PROMISED  LAND 

2.     SAMSON'S   STRANGE  WEAPON 

Then  the  Philistines  went  up,  and  pitched  in  Judah,  and 
spread  themselves  in  Lehi.  And  the  men  of  Judah  said: 

"  Why  are  ye  come  up  against  us  ?  "  And  they  answered : 

"  To  bind  Samson  are  we  come  u]),  to  do  to  him  as  he  hath 
done  to  us." 

Then  three  thousand  men  of  Judah  went  to  the  top  of  the 
rock  Etam,  and  said  to  Samson : 

"  Knowest  thou  not  that  the  Philistines  are  rulers  over  us  ? 
what  is  this  that  thou  hast  done  unto  us  ?"  And  he  said  unto 
them : 

"As  they  did  unto  me,  so  have  I  done  unto  them."  And 
they  said  unto  him: 

"  "We  are  come  down  to  bind  thee,  that  we  may  deliver 
thee  into  the  hand  of  the  Philistines."  And  Samson  said  unto 
them: 

"  Swear  unto  me,  that  ye  will  not  fall  upon  me  yourselves." 
And  they  spake  unto  him,  saying: 

"  No ;  but  we  will  bind  thee  fast,  and  deliver  thee  into 
their  hand:  but  surely  we  will  not  kill  thee."  And  they 
bound  him  with  two  new  cords,  and  brought  him  up  from 
the  rock. 

And  when  he  came  unto  Lehi,  the  Philistines  shouted 
against  him :  and  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  came  mightily  upon 
him,  and  the  cords  that  were  upon  his  arms  became  as  flax 

160 


SAMSON,  THE  STRONG  MAN 

that  was  burnt  with  fire,  and  his  bands  loosed  from  off  his 
hands.  And  he  found  a  new  jawbone  of  an  ass,  and  put  forth 
his  hand,  and  took  it,  and  slew  a  thousand  men  therewith. 
And  Samson  said,  "  With  the  jawbone  of  an  ass,  heaps  upon 
heaps,  with  the  jaw  of  an  ass  have  I  slain  a  thousand  men." 
And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  had  made  an  end  of  speaking, 
that  he  cast  away  the  jawbone  out  of  his  hand,  and  called 
that  place  Ramath-lehi. 

And  he  was  sore  athirst,  and  called  on  the  Lord,  and  said, 
"  Thou  hast  given  this  great  deliverance  into  the  hand  of 
thy  servant :  and  now  shall  I  die  for  thirst  ?  " 

But  God  clave  an  hollow  place  that  was  in  the  jaw,  and 
there  came  water  thereout;  and  when  he  had  drunk,  his 
spirit  came  again,  and  he  revived. 

3.    THE  SECRET  OF  SAMSON'S  STRENGTH 

And  it  came  to  pass  afterward,  that  he  loved  a  woman  in 
the  valley  of  Sorek,  whose  name  was  Delilah.  And  the  lords 
of  the  Philistines  came  up  unto  her,  and  said  unto  her: 

"  Entice  him,  and  see  wherein  his  great  strength  lieth,  and 
by  what  means  we  may  prevail  against  him,  that  we  may 
bind  him  to  afihct  him :  and  we  will  give  thee  every  one  of 
us  eleven  hundred  pieces  of  silver."  And  Delilah  said  to 
Samson : 

"  Tell  me,  I  pray  thee,  wherein  thy  great  strength  lieth, 

161 


IN  THE  PROMISED   LAND 

and  wherewith  thou  mightest  be  bound  to  afflict  thee."  And 
Samson  said  unto  her : 

"  If  they  bind  me  with  seven  green  withes  that  were  never 
dried,  then  shall  I  be  weak,  and  be  as  another  man."  Then 
the  lords  of  the  Philistines  brought  up  to  her  seven  green 
withes  which  had  not  been  dried,  and  she  bound  him  with 
them. 

Now  there  were  men  lying  in  wait,  abiding  with  her  in 
the  chamber.  And  she  said  unto  him: 

"  The  Philistines  be  upon  thee,  Samson."  And  he  brake 
the  withes,  as  a  thread  of  tow  is  broken  when  it  toucheth  the 
fire.  So  his  strength  was  not  known.  And  Delilah  said  unto 
Samson : 

"  Behold,  thou  hast  mocked  me,  and  told  me  hes :  now  tell 
me,  I  pray  thee,  wherewith  thou  mightest  be  bound."  And 
he  said  unto  her: 

"  If  they  bind  me  fast  with  new  ropes  that  never  were  oc- 
cupied, then  shall  I  be  weak,  and  be  as  another  man."  Deli- 
lah therefore  took  new  ropes,  and  bound  him  therewith, 
and  said  unto  him,  "  The  Philistines  be  upon  thee,  Samson." 
And  there  were  liers  in  wait  abiding  in  the  chamber.  And 
he  brake  them  from  off  his  arms  like  a  thread.  And  Delilah 
said  unto  Samson: 

"  Hitherto  thou  hast  mocked  me,  and  told  me  lies :  tell  me 
wherewith  thou  mightest  be  bound."  And  he  said  unto  her: 

"  If  thou  weavest  the  seven  locks  of  my  head  with  the 

162 


SAMSON,  THE  STRONG  MAN 

web."  And  she  fastened  it  with  the  pin,  and  said  unto  him, 
"  The  Philistines  be  upon  thee,  Samson."  And  he  awaked 
out  of  his  sleep,  and  went  away  with  the  pin  of  the  beam, 
and  with  the  web.  And  she  said  unto  him: 

"  How  canst  thou  say,  I  love  thee,  when  thine  heart  is  not 
with  me  ?  thou  hast  mocked  me  these  three  times,  and  hast 
not  told  me  wherein  thy  great  strength  lieth." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  she  pressed  him  daily  with 
her  words,  and  urged  him,  so  that  his  soul  was  vexed  unto 
death;  that  he  told  her  all  his  heart,  and  said  unto  her, 
"  There  hath  not  come  a  razor  upon  mine  head;  for  I  have 
been  a  Nazarite  unto  God  from  my  mother's  womb:  if  I  be 
shaven,  then  my  strength  will  go  from  me,  and  I  shall  be- 
come weak,  and  be  like  any  other  man." 

And  when  Delilah  saw  that  he  had  told  her  all  his  heart, 
she  sent  and  called  for  the  lords  of  the  Philistines,  say- 
ing, "Come  up  this  once,  for  he  hath  shewed  me  all  his 
heart."  Then  the  lords  of  the  Philistines  came  up  unto 
her,  and  brought  money  in  their  hand.  And  she  made  him 
sleep  upon  her  knees;  and  she  called  for  a  man,  and  she 
caused  him  to  shave  off  the  seven  locks  of  his  head; 
and  she  began  to  afllict  him,  and  his  strength  went  from 
him.  And  she  said,  "  The  Philistines  be  upon  thee,  Sam- 
son." And  he  awoke  out  of  his  sleep,  and  said,  "  I  will  go 
out  as  at  other  times  before,  and  shake  myself."  And  he 
wist  not  that  the  Lord  was  departed  from  him. 

163 


IN  THE  PROMISED  LAND 

But  the  Philistines  took  him,  and  put  out  his  eyes,  and 
brought  him  down  to  Gaza,  and  bound  him  with  fetters  of 
brass;  and  he  did  grind  in  the  prison  house.  Howbeit  the 
hair  of  his  head  began  to  grow  again  after  he  was  shaven. 


4.    THE  DEATH  OF  SAMSON 

Then  the  lords  of  the  Philistines  gathered  them  together 
for  to  offer  a  great  sacrifice  unto  Dagon  their  god,  and  to 
rejoice:  for  they  said,  "  Our  god  hath  delivered  Samson  our 
enemy  into  our  hand."  And  when  the  peoj^le  saw  him,  they 
praised  their  god :  for  they  said,  "  Our  god  hath  delivered 
into  our  hands  our  enemy,  and  the  destroyer  of  our  country, 
which  slew  many  of  us."  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  their 
hearts  were  merry,  that  they  said,  "  Call  for  Samson,  that  he 
may  make  us  sport."  And  they  called  for  Samson  out  of  the 
prison  house;  and  he  made  them  sport:  and  they  set  him 
between  the  pillars.  And  Samson  said  unto  the  lad  that  held 
him  by  the  hand,  "  Suffer  me  that  I  may  feel  the  pillars 
whereupon  the  house  standeth,  that  I  may  lean  ujDon  them." 

Now  the  house  was  full  of  men  and  women;  and  all  the 
lords  of  the  Philistines  were  there;  and  there  were  upon 
the  roof  about  three  thousand  men  and  women,  that  beheld 
while  Samson  made  sport.  And  Samson  called  unto  the 
Lord,  and  said,  "  O  Lord  God,  remember  me,  I  pray  thee, 
and  strengthen  me,  I  pray  thee,  only  this  once,  O  God,  that 

164 


SAMSON,  THE  STRONG  MAN 

I  may  be  at  once  avenged  of  the  Philistines  for  my  two 
eyes."  And  Samson  took  hold  of  the  two  middle  pillars  upon 
which  the  house  stood,  and  on  which  it  was  borne  up,  of  the 
one  with  his  right  hand,  and  of  the  other  with  his  left.  And 
Samson  said,  "Let  me  die  with  the  Philistines."  And  he 
bowed  himself  with  all  his  might;  and  the  house  fell  upon 
the  lords,  and  upon  all  the  people  that  were  therein.  So  the 
dead  which  he  slew  at  his  death  were  more  than  they  which 
he  slew  in  his  life. 

Then  his  brethren  and  all  the  house  of  his  father  came 
down,  and  took  him,  and  brought  him  up,  and  buried  him  in 
the  buryingplace  of  Manoah  his  father. 


SAMUEL,  THE  BOY  WHOM  GOD  CALLED 

1.    THE  BIRTH  OF  SAMUEL 

!N^ow  there  was  a  certain  man  of  mount  Ephraim,  and  his 
name  was  Elkanah.  And  this  man  went  up  out  of  his  city 
yearly  to  worship  and  to  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord  of  hosts  in 
Shiloh. 

]S^ow  Eli  the  priest  sat  upon  a  seat  by  a  post  of  the  temple 
of  the  Lord.  And  [Hannah,  the  wife  of  Elkanah,]  was  in 
bitterness  of  soul,  and  prayed  unto  the  Lord,  and  wept  sore. 
And  she  vowed  a  vow,  and  said: 

"  O  Lord  of  hosts,  if  thou  wilt  indeed  look  on  the  afflic- 
tion of  thine  handmaid,  and  remember  me,  and  not  forget 
thine  handmaid,  but  wilt  give  unto  thine  handmaid  a  man 
child,  then  I  will  give  him  unto  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  his 
life,  and  there  shall  no  razor  come  upon  his  head."  And  it 
came  to  pass,  as  she  continued  praying  before  the  Lord, 
that  Eli  marked  her  mouth.  Now  Hannah,  she  spake  in  her 
heart;  only  her  lips  moved,  but  her  voice  was  not  heard: 
therefore  Eli  thought  she  had  been  drunken.  And  Eli  said 
unto  her: 

"  How  long  wilt  thou  be  drunken?  put  away  thy  wine  from 
thee."  And  Hannah  answered  and  said: 

"  No,  my  lord,  I  am  a  woman  of  a  sorrowful  spirit:  I  have 

166 


SAMUEL,  THE  BOY  WHOM  GOD  CALLED 

drunk  neither  wine  nor  strong  drink,  but  have  poured  out 
my  soul  before  the  Lord.  Count  not  thine  handmaid  for  a 
daughter  of  Behal :  for  out  of  the  abundance  of  my  com- 
plaint and  grief  have  I  spoken  hitherto."  Then  Eli  answered 
and  said: 

"  Go  in  peace :  and  the  God  of  Israel  grant  thee  thy  peti- 
tion that  thou  hast  asked  of  him."  And  she  said: 

"Let  thine  handmaid  find  grace  in  thy  sight."  So  the 
woman  went  her  way,  and  did  eat,  and  her  countenance  was 
no  more  sad. 

And  they  rose  up  in  the  morning  early,  and  worshipped 
before  the  Lord,  and  returned,  and  came  to  their  house  to 
Ramah:  and  the  Lord  remembered  her;  wherefore  it  came 
to  pass,  that  she  bare  a  son,  and  called  his  name  Samuel, 
saying,  "  Because  I  have  asked  him  of  the  Lord."  And  when 
she  had  weaned  him,  she  took  him  up  with  her,  with  three 
bullocks,  and  one  ephah  of  flour,  and  a  bottle  of  wine,  and 
brought  him  unto  the  house  of  the  Lord  in  Shiloh :  and  the 
child  was  young.  And  they  slew  a  bullock,  and  brought 
the  child  to  Eli.  And  she  said: 

"  Oh  my  lord,  as  thy  soul  liveth,  my  lord,  I  am  the  woman 
that  stood  by  thee  here,  praying  unto  the  Lord.  For  this  child 
I  prayed;  and  the  Lord  hath  given  me  my  petition  which  I 
asked  of  him :  therefore  also  I  have  lent  him  to  the  Lord ;  as 
long  as  he  liveth  he  shall  be  lent  to  the  Lord."  And  he  wor- 
shipped the  Lord  there. 

167 


IN   THE   PROMISED   LAND 

2.     GOD  SPEAKS  TO  SAMUEL 

But  Samuel  ministered  before  the  Lord,  being  a  child, 
girded  with  a  linen  ejDhod.  Moreover  his  mother  made  him 
a  little  coat,  and  brought  it  to  him  from  year  to  year,  when 
she  came  up  with  her  husband  to  offer  the  yearly  sacrifice. 
And  the  child  Samuel  grew  on,  and  was  in  favour  both  with 
the  Lord,  and  also  with  men. 

And  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  precious  in  those  days; 
there  was  no  open  vision.  And  it  came  to  pass  at  that  time, 
when  Eli  was  laid  down  in  his  place,  and  his  eyes  began 
to  wax  dim,  that  he  could  not  see;  and  ere  the  lamp  of 
God  went  out  in  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  where  the  ark 
of  God  was,  and  Samuel  was  laid  down  to  sleep ;  that  the 
Lord  called  Samuel:  and  he  answered: 

"Here  am  I."  And  he  ran  unto  Eli,  and  said: 
"Here  am  I;  for  thou  calledst  me."  And  he  said: 
"  I  called  not;  lie  down  again."  And  he  went  and  lay  down. 
And  the  Lord  called  yet  again : 

"Samuel."  And  Samuel  arose  and  went  to  EH,  and  said: 
"Here  am  I;  for  thou  didst  call  me."  And  he  answered: 
"  I  called  not,  my  son ;  lie  down  again."   N^ow  Samuel  did 
not  yet  know  the  Lord,  neither  was  the  word  of  the  Lord  yet 
revealed  unto  him.  And  the  Lord  called  Samuel  again  the 
third  time.  And  he  arose  and  went  to  Eli,  and  said: 

"Here  am  I;  for  thou  didst  call  me."   And  Eli  perceived 

168 


SAMUEL,  THE  BOY  WHOM  GOD  CALLED 

that  the  Lord  had  called  the  child.  Therefore  Eli  said  unto 
Samuel : 

"  Go,  lie  down:  and  it  shall  be,  if  he  call  thee,  that  thou 
shalt  say,  Speak,  Lord;  for  thy  servant  heareth."  So  Samuel 
went  and  lay  down  in  his  place.  And  the  Lord  came,  and 
stood,  and  called  as  at  other  times : 

"  Samuel,  Samuel."  Then  Samuel  answered : 

"Speak;  for  thy  servant  heareth."  And  the  Lord  said  to 
Samuel : 

"  Behold,  I  will  do  a  thing  in  Israel,  at  which  both  the  ears 
of  every  one  that  heareth  it  shall  tingle.  In  that  day  I  will 
perform  against  Eli  all  things  which  I  have  spoken  concern- 
mg  his  house :  when  I  begin,  I  will  also  make  an  end.  For  I 
have  told  him  that  I  w411  judge  his  house  for  ever  for  the  in- 
iquity which  he  knoweth ;  because  his  sons  made  themselves 
vile,  and  he  restrained  them  not.  And  therefore  I  have  sworn 
unto  the  house  of  Eli,  that  the  iniquity  of  Eli's  house  shall 
not  be  purged  with  sacrifice  nor  offering  for  ever." 

And  Samuel  lay  until  the  morning,  and  opened  the  doors 
of  the  house  of  the  Lord.  And  Samuel  feared  to  shew  Eli 
the  vision.  Then  Eli  called  Samuel,  and  said: 

"  Samuel,  my  son."  And  he  answered : 

"  Here  am  I."  And  he  said: 

"  What  is  the  thing  that  the  Lord  hath  said  unto  thee?  I 
pray  thee  hide  it  not  from  me :  God  do  so  to  thee,  and  more 
also,  if  thou  hide  any  thing  from  me  of  all  the  things  that  he 

169 


IN  THE  PROMISED  LAND 

said  unto  thee."   And  Samuel  told  him  every  whit,  and  hid 

nothing  from  him.  And  he  said: 

"  It  is  the  Lord :  let  him  do  what  seemeth  him  good." 
And  Samuel  grew,  and  the  Lord  was  with  him,  and  did  let 

none  of  his  words  fall  to  the  ground.   And  all  Israel  from 

Dan  even  to  Beer-sheba  knew  that  Samuel  was  established 

to  be  a  prophet  of  the  Lord. 


Ill 

THE  CHILDEEN  OF  ISEAEL  TINDER 

THE  KINGS 


III.   THE   CHILDREN  OF  ISRAEL  UNDER 

THE  KINGS 

THE  STOKY  OF  DAYID  THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

1.     SAUL  DISOBEYS   GOD  AND  DAVID  IS  CHOSEN  KING 

Then  came  the  word  of  the  Lord  unto  Samuel,  saying,  "  It 
repenteth  me  that  I  have  set  up  Saul  to  be  king:  for  he  is 
turned  back  from  following  me,  and  hath  not  performed  my 
commandments."  And  it  grieved  Samuel ;  and  he  cried  unto 
the  Lord  all  night.  And  when  Samuel  rose  early  to  meet 
Saul  in  the  morning,  it  was  told  Samuel,  saying,  "  Saul  came 
to  Carmel,  and,  behold,  he  set  him  up  a  place,  and  is  gone 
about,  and  passed  on,  and  gone  down  to  Gilgal."  And  Sam- 
uel came  to  Saul :  and  Saul  said  unto  him : 

"  Blessed  be  thou  of  the  Lord :  I  have  performed  the  com- 
mandment of  the  Lord."  And  Samuel  said: 

"  What  meaneth  then  this  bleating  of  the  sheep  in  mine 
ears,  and  the  lowing  of  the  oxen  which  I  hear?"  And  Saul 
said: 

"  They  have  brought  them  from  the  Amalekites :  for  the 
people  spared  the  best  of  the  sheep  and  of  the  oxen,  to  sac- 
rifice unto  the  Lord  thy  God;  and  the  rest  we  have  utterly 
destroyed."  Then  Samuel  said  unto  Saul: 

173 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

"  Stay,  and  I  will  tell  thee  what  the  Lord  hath  said  to  me 
this  night."  And  he  said  unto  him: 

"Say  on."  And  Samuel  said: 

"When  thou  wast  little  in  thine  own  sight,  wast  thou  not 
made  the  head  of  the  tribes  of  Israel,  and  the  Lord  anointed 
thee  king  over  Israel?  And  the  Lord  sent  thee  on  a  journey, 
and  said,  Go  and  utterly  destroy  the  sinners  the  Amalekites, 
and  fight  against  them  until  they  be  consumed.  Wherefore 
then  didst  thou  not  obey  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  but  didst  fly 
upon  the  spoil,  and  didst  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  ?  "  And 
Saul  said  unto  Samuel: 

"  Yea,  I  have  obeyed  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  and  have  gone 
the  way  which  the  Lord  sent  me,  and  have  brought  Agag 
the  king  of  Amalek,  and  have  utterly  destroyed  the  Amalek- 
ites. But  the  people  took  of  the  spoil,  sheep  and  oxen,  the 
chief  of  the  things  which  should  have  been  utterly  destroyed, 
to  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord  thy  God  in  Gilgal."  And  Samuel 
said: 

"  Hath  the  Lord  as  great  delight  in  burnt  offerings  and 
sacrifices,  as  in  obeying  the  voice  of  the  Lord?  Behold,  to 
obey  is  better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  hearken  than  the  fat  of 
rams.  For  rebellion  is  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft,  and  stubborn- 
ness is  as  iniquity  and  idolatry.  Because  thou  hast  rejected 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  he  hath  also  rejected  thee  from  being 
king."    And  Saul  said  unto  Samuel : 

"  I  have  sinned :  for  I  have  transgressed  the  commandment 

174 


THE   STORY   OF   DAVID   THE  SHEPHERD   BOY 

of  the  Lord,  and  thy  words :  because  I  feared  the  people,  and 
obeyed  their  voice.  ISTow  therefore,  I  pray  thee,  pardon  my 
sin,  and  turn  again  with  me,  that  I  may  worship  the  Lord." 
And  Samuel  said  unto  Saul : 

"I  will  not  return  with  thee:  for  thou  hast  rejected  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  hath  rejected  thee  from  be- 
ing king  over  Israel."  Ajid  as  Samuel  turned  about  to  go 
away,  he  laid  hold  upon  the  skirt  of  his  mantle,  and  it  rent. 
And  Samuel  said  unto  him: 

"  The  Lord  hath  rent  the  kingdom  of  Israel  from  thee  this 
day,  and  hath  given  it  to  a  neighbour  of  thine,  that  is  better 
than  thou.  And  also  the  Strength  of  Israel  wiU  not  lie  nor 
repent:  for  he  is  not  a  man,  that  he  should  repent." 

Then  Samuel  w^ent  to  Ramah;  and  Saul  went  up  to  his 
house  to  Gibeah  of  Saul.  And  Samuel  came  no  more  to  see 
Saul  until  the  day  of  his  death :  nevertheless  Samuel  mourned 
for  Saul :  and  the  Lord  repented  that  he  had  made  Saul  king 
over  Israel.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Samuel : 

"  How  long  wilt  thou  mourn  for  Saul,  seeing  I  have  re- 
jected him  from  reigning  over  Israel?  fill  thine  horn  with  oil, 
and  go,  I  will  send  thee  to  Jesse  the  Beth-lehemite :  for  I 
have  provided  me  a  king  among  his  sons."  And  Samuel  said: 

"  How  can  I  go?  if  Saul  hear  it,  he  will  kill  me."  And  the 
Lord  said: 

"  Take  an  heifer  with  thee,  and  say,  I  am  come  to  sacrifice 
to  the  Lord.  And  call  Jesse  to  the  sacrifice,  and  I  will  shew 

175 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE   KINGS 

thee  what  thou  shalt  do :  and  thou  shalt  anoint  unto  me  him 
whom  I  name  unto  thee."  And  Samuel  did  that  which  the 
Lord  spake,  and  came  to  Bethlehem.  And  the  elders  of  the 
town  trembled  at  his  coming,  and  said : 

"Comest  thou  peaceably?"  And  he  said: 

"  Peaceably :  I  am  come  to  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord :  sanc- 
tify yourselves,  and  come  with  me  to  the  sacrifice."  And  he 
sanctified  Jesse  and  his  sons,  and  called  them  to  the  sacrifice. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  they  were  come,  that  he  looked 
on  Eliab,  and  said: 

"  Surely  the  Lord's  anointed  is  before  him."  But  the  Lord 
said  unto  Samuel : 

"  Look  not  on  his  countenance,  or  on  the  height  of  his 
stature;  because  I  have  refused  him:  for  the  Lord  seeth 
not  as  man  seeth ;  for  man  looketh  on  the  outward  aj^pear- 
ance,  but  the  Lord  looketh  on  the  heart."  Then  Jesse  called 
Abinadab,  and  made  him  pass  before  Samuel.  And  he  said, 
"Neither  hath  the  Lord  chosen  this."  Then  Jesse  made 
Shammah  to  pass  by.  And  he  said,  "  Neither  hath  the  Lord 
chosen  this."  Again,  Jesse  made  seven  of  his  sons  to  pass 
before  Samuel.  And  Samuel  said  unto  Jesse,  "  The  Lord 
hath  not  chosen  these."  And  Samuel  said  unto  Jesse: 

"Are  here  all  thy  children?"  And  he  said: 

"  There  remaineth  yet  the  youngest,  and,  behold,  he  keep- 
eth  the  sheep."  And  Samuel  said  unto  Jesse: 

"  Send  and  fetch  him :  for  we  will  not  sit  down  till  he  come 

17G 


THE  STORY  OF  DAVID  THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

hither."  And  he  sent,  and  brought  him  in.  Now  he  was 
ruddy,  and  withal  of  a  beautiful  countenance,  and  goodly  to 
look  to.  And  the  Lord  said : 

"Arise,  anoint  him:  for  this  is  he."  Then  Samuel  took  the 
horn  of  oil,  and  anointed  him  in  the  midst  of  his  brethren: 
and  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  David  from  that  day 
forward.  So  Samuel  rose  up,  and  went  to  Ramah. 


2.  DAVID  PLAYS  ON  THE  HARP  BEFORE  SAUL 

But  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  departed  from  Saul,  and  an  evil 
spirit  from  the  Lord  troubled  him.  And  Saul's  servants  said 
unto  him : 

"  Behold  now,  an  evil  spirit  from  God  troubleth  thee.  Let 
our  lord  now  command  thy  servants,  which  are  before  thee, 
to  seek  out  a  man,  who  is  a  cunning  player  on  an  harp:  and 
it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  the  evil  spirit  from  God  is  upon 
thee,  that  he  shall  play  with  his  hand,  and  thou  shalt  be  well." 
And  Saul  said  unto  his  servants: 

"  Provide  me  now  a  man  that  can  play  well,  and  bring  him 
to  me."  Then  answered  one  of  the  servants,  and  said: 

"  Behold,  I  have  seen  a  son  of  Jesse  the  Beth-lehemite, 
that  is  cunning  in  playing,  and  a  mighty  valiant  man,  and  a 
man  of  war,  and  prudent  in  matters,  and  a  comely  person, 
and  the  Lord  is  with  him."  "Wherefore  Saul  sent  messengers 
unto  Jesse,  and  said: 

177 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

"  Send  me  David  thy  son,  which  is  with  the  sheep."  And 
Jesse  took  an  ass  laden  with  bread,  and  a  bottle  of  wine,  and 
a  kid,  and  sent  them  by  David  his  son  mito  Sank 

And  David  came  to  Saul,  and  stood  before  him :  and  he 
loved  him  greatly;  and  he  became  his  armourbearer.  And 
Saul  sent  to  Jesse,  saying,  "  Let  David,  I  pray  thee,  stand 
before  me;  for  he  hath  found  favour  in  my  sight."  And  it 
came  to  pass,  when  the  evil  spirit  from  God  was  upon  Saul, 
that  David  took  an  harp,  and  played  with  his  hand :  so  Saul 
was  refreshed,  and  was  well,  and  the  evil  spirit  departed 
from  him. 


3.     DAVID  KILLS  THE   GIANT  GOLIATH  OF  GATH 

N'ow  the  Philistines  gathered  together  their  armies  to 
battle.  And  Saul  and  the  men  of  Israel  were  gathered  to- 
gether, and  pitched  by  the  valley  of  Elah,  and  set  the  battle 
in  array  against  the  Philistines.  And  the  Philistines  stood 
on  a  mountain  on  the  one  side,  and  Israel  stood  on  a  moun- 
tain on  the  other  side:  and  there  was  a  valley  between  them. 
And  there  went  out  a  champion  out  of  the  camp  of  the  Phi- 
listines, named  Goliath,  of  Gath,  whose  height  was  six  cubits 
and  a  span.  And  he  had  an  helmet  of  brass  upon  his  head, 
and  he  was  armed  with  a  coat  of  mail;  and  the  weight  of 
the  coat  was  five  thousand  shekels  of  brass.  And  he  had 
greaves  of  brass  upon  his  legs,  and  a  target  of  brass  between 

178 


THE  STORY  OF  DAVID  THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

his  shoulders.  And  the  staff  of  his  spear  was  like  a  weaver's 
beam;  and  his  spear's  head  weighed  six  hundred  shekels  of 
iron:  and  one  bearing  a  shield  went  before  him.  And  he 
stood  and  cried  unto  the  armies  of  Israel,  and  said  unto 
them: 

"  Why  are  ye  come  out  to  set  your  battle  in  array  ?  am  not 
I  a  Philistine,  and  ye  servants  to  Saul  ?  choose  you  a  man 
for  you,  and  let  him  come  down  to  me.  If  he  be  able  to  fight 
with  me,  and  to  kill  me,  then  will  we  be  your  servants:  but 
if  I  prevail  against  him,  and  kill  him,  then  shall  ye  be  our 
servants,  and  serve  us."  And  the  Philistine  said: 

"  I  defy  the  armies  of  Israel  this  day ;  give  me  a  man,  that 
we  may  fight  together."  When  Saul  and  all  Israel  heard 
those  words  of  the  Philistine,  they  were  dismayed,  and 
greatly  afraid. 

;N^ow  David  was  the  son  of  Jesse ;  and  he  had  eight  sons : 
and  the  man  went  among  men  for  an  old  man  in  the  days 
of  Saul.  And  the  three  eldest  sons  of  Jesse  went  and  fol- 
lowed Saul  to  the  battle :  and  David  was  the  youngest :  and 
the  three  eldest  followed  Saul.  But  David  went  and  re- 
turned from  Saul  to  feed  his  father's  sheep  at  Beth-lehem. 
And  the  Philistine  drew  near  morning  and  evening,  and 
presented  himself  forty  days.  And  Jesse  said  unto  David 
his  son: 

"Take  now  for  thy  brethren  an  ephah  of  this  parched 
corn,  and  these  ten  loaves,  and  run  to  the  camp  to  thy  breth- 

179 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

ren;  and  carry  these  ten  cheeses  unto  the  captain  of  their 
thousand,  and  look  how  thy  brethren  fare,  and  take  their 
pledge."  'Now  Saul,  and  they,  and  all  the  men  of  Israel, 
were  in  the  valley  of  Elah,  fighting  with  the  Philistines. 

And  David  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  left  the 
sheep  with  a  keeper,  and  took,  and  went,  as  Jesse  had  com- 
manded him;  and  he  came  to  the  trench,  as  the  host  was 
going  forth  to  the  fight,  and  shouted  for  the  battle.  For  Is- 
rael and  the  Philistines  had  put  the  battle  in  array,  army 
against  army.  And  David  left  his  carriage  in  the  hand  of 
the  keeper  of  the  carriage,  and  ran  into  the  army,  and  came 
and  saluted  his  brethren.  And  as  he  talked  with  them,  be- 
hold, there  came  up  the  champion,  the  Philistine  of  Gath, 
Goliath  by  name,  out  of  the  armies  of  the  Philistines,  and 
spake  according  to  the  same  words :  and  David  heard  them. 
And  all  the  men  of  Israel,  when  they  saw  the  man,  fled  from 
him,  and  were  sore  afraid.  And  the  men  of  Israel  said: 

"  Have  ye  seen  this  man  that  is  come  up  ?  surely  to  defy 
Israel  is  he  come  up:  and  it  shall  be,  that  the  man  who  killeth 
him,  the  king  will  enrich  him  with  great  riches,  and  will  give 
him  his  daughter,  and  make  his  father's  house  free  in  Is- 
rael." And  David  spake  to  the  men  that  stood  by  him,  say- 
ing: 

"  What  shall  be  done  to  the  man  that  killeth  this  Philistine, 
and  taketh  away  the  reproach  from  Israel  ?  for  who  is  this 
Philistine,  that  he  should  defy  the  armies  of  the   living 

180 


THE  STORY   OF  DAVID  THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

God?"  And  the  people  answered  him  after  this  manner, 
saying : 

"  So  shall  it  be  done  to  the  man  that  killeth  him." 

And  Eliab  his  eldest  brother  heard  when  he  spake  unto 
the  men ;  and  Eliab's  anger  was  kindled  against  David,  and 
he  said: 

"  Why  camest  thou  down  hither  ?  and  with  whom  hast 
thou  left  those  few  sheep  in  the  wilderness?  I  know  thy 
pride,  and  the  naughtiness  of  thine  heart;  for  thou  art  come 
down  that  thou  mightest  see  the  battle."  And  David  said : 

"  "What  have  I  now  done  ?  Is  there  not  a  cause  ?  "  And  he 
turned  from  him  toward  another,  and  spake  after  the  same 
manner :  and  the  people  answered  him  again  after  the  for- 
mer manner. 

And  when  the  words  were  heard  which  David  spake,  they 
rehearsed  them  before  Saul :  and  he  sent  for  him.  And  David 
said  to  Saul : 

"  Let  no  man's  heart  fail  because  of  him ;  thy  servant  will 
go  and  fight  with  this  Philistine."  And  Saul  said  to  David : 

"  Thou  art  not  able  to  go  against  this  Philistine  to  fight 
with  him:  for  thou  art  but  a  youth,  and  he  a  man  of  war 
from  his  youth."  And  David  said  unto  Saul : 

"  Thy  servant  kept  his  father's  sheep,  and  there  came  a 
lion,  and  a  bear,  and  took  a  lamb  out  of  the  flock:  and  I 
went  out  after  him,  and  smote  him,  and  delivered  it  out  of 
his  mouth :  and  when  he  arose  against  me,  I  caught  him  by 

181 


ISRAEL   UNDER  THE  KINGS 

his  beard,  and  smote  him,  and  slew  him.  Thy  servant  slew 
both  the  lion  and  the  bear:  and  this  Philistine  shall  be  as 
one  of  them,  seeing  he  hath  defied  the  armies  of  the  living 
God."  David  said  moreover,  "  The  Lord  that  delivered  me 
out  of  the  paw  of  the  lion,  and  out  of  the  paw  of  the  bear, 
he  will  deliver  me  out  of  the  hand  of  this  Phihstine."  And 
Saul  said  unto  David: 

"  Go,  and  the  Lord  be  with  thee." 

And  Saul  armed  David  with  his  armour,  and  he  put  an 
helmet  of  brass  upon  his  head;  also  he  armed  him  with  a 
coat  of  mail.  And  David  girded  his  sword  upon  his  armour, 
and  he  assayed  to  go;  for  he  had  not  proved  it.  And  David 
said  unto  Saul,  "I  cannot  go  with  these;  for  I  have  not 
proved  them."  And  David  put  them  off  him.  And  he  took 
his  staff  in  his  hand,  and  chose  him  five  smooth  stones  out 
of  the  brook,  and  put  them  in  a  shepherd's  bag  which  he 
had,  even  in  a  scrip;  and  his  sling  was  in  his  hand:  and 
he  drew  near  to  the  Philistine.  And  the  Philistine  came  on 
and  drew  near  unto  David;  and  the  man  that  bare  the  shield 
went  before  him.  And  when  the  Philistine  looked  about,  and 
saw  David,  he  disdained  him :  for  he  was  but  a  youth,  and 
ruddy,  and  of  a  fair  countenance.  And  the  Philistine  said 
unto  David : 

"  Am  I  a  dog,  that  thou  comest  to  me  with  staves  ? " 
And  the  Philistine  cursed  David  by  his  gods.  And  the  Phi- 
listine said  to  David,  "  Come  to  me,  and  I  will  give  thy  flesh 

182 


THE  STORY  OF  DAVID  THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

unto  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and  to  the  beasts  of  the  field." 
Then  said  David  to  the  Philistine : 

"  Thou  comest  to  me  with  a  sword,  and  with  a  spear,  and 
with  a  shield :  but  I  come  to  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  the  God  of  the  armies  of  Israel,  whom  thou  hast  de- 
fied. This  day  will  the  Lord  deliver  thee  into  mine  hand ; 
and  I  will  smite  thee,  and  take  thine  head  from  thee;  and  I 
will  give  the  carcases  of  the  host  of  the  Philistines  this  day 
unto  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and  to  the  wild  beasts  of  the  earth; 
that  all  the  earth  may  know  that  there  is  a  God  in  Israel. 
And  all  this  assembly  shall  know  that  the  Lord  saveth  not 
with  sword  and  spear :  for  the  battle  is  the  Lord's,  and  he 
will  give  you  into  our  hands." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  Philistine  arose,  and  came 
and  drew  nigh  to  meet  David,  that  David  hasted,  and  ran  to- 
ward the  army  to  meet  the  Philistine.  And  David  put  his 
hand  in  his  bag,  and  took  thence  a  stone,  and  slang  it,  and 
smote  the  Philistine  in  his  forehead,  that  the  stone  sunk  into 
his  forehead;  and  he  fell  upon  his  face  to  the  earth.  So  David 
prevailed  over  the  Philistine  with  a  sling  and  with  a  stone, 
and  smote  the  Philistine,  and  slew  him;  but  there  was  no 
sword  in  the  hand  of  David.  Therefore  David  ran,  and  stood 
upon  the  Phihstine,  and  took  his  sword,  and  drew  it  out  of 
the  sheath  thereof,  and  slew  him,  and  cut  off  his  head  there- 
with. And  when  the  Philistines  saw  their  champion  was 
dead,  they  fled.  And  the  men  of  Israel  and  of  Judah  arose, 

183 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

and  shouted,  and  pursued  the  Philistines,  until  thou  come  to 
the  valley,  and  to  the  gates  of  Ekron.  And  the  wounded 
of  the  Philistines  fell  down  by  the  way.  And  the  children  of 
Israel  returned  from  chasing  after  the  Philistines,  and  they 
spoiled  their  tents.  And  David  took  the  head  of  the  Philis- 
tine, and  brought  it  to  Jerusalem;  but  he  put  his  armour  in 
his  tent. 


4.     SAUL'S  JEALOUSY  AND  JONATHAN'S  AFFECTION 

And  when  Saul  saw  David  go  forth  against  the  PhiHstine, 
he  said  unto  Abner,  the  captain  of  the  host: 

"  Abner,  whose  son  is  this  youth  ?"  And  Abner  said: 

"  As  thy  soul  liveth,  O  king,  I  cannot  tell."  And  the  king 
said : 

"  Enquire  thou  whose  son  the  stripling  is."  And  as  David 
returned  from  the  slaughter  of  the  Philistine,  Abner  took 
him,  and  brought  him  before  Saul,  with  the  head  of  the 
Philistine  in  his  hand.  And  Saul  said  to  him : 

"  Whose  son  art  thou,  thou  young  man  ? "  And  David 
answered : 

"  I  am  the  son  of  thy  servant  Jesse  the  Beth-lehemite." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  had  made  an  end  of  speak- 
ing unto  Saul,  that  the  soul  of  Jonathan  [son  of  Saul,]  was 
knit  with  the  soul  of  David,  and  Jonathan  loved  him  as  his 
own  soul.  And  Saul  took  him  that  day,  and  would  let  him 

184 


THE  STORY  OF  DAVID  THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

go  no  more  home  to  his  father's  house.  Then  Jonathan  and 
David  made  a  covenant,  because  he  loved  him  as  his  own 
soul.  And  Jonathan  stripped  himself  of  the  robe  that  was 
upon  him,  and  gave  it  to  David,  and  his  garments,  even  to 
his  sword,  and  to  his  bow,  and  to  his  girdle. 

And  David  went  out  whithersoever  Saul  sent  him,  and 
behaved  himself  wisely :  and  Saul  set  him  over  the  men  of 
war,  and  he  was  accepted  in  the  sight  of  all  the  people,  and 
also  in  the  sight  of  Saul's  servants.  And  it  came  to  pass  as 
they  came,  when  David  was  returned  from  the  slaughter 
of  the  Philistine,  that  the  women  came  out  of  all  cities  of 
Israel,  singing  and  dancing,  to  meet  king  Saul,  with  tabrets, 
with  joy,  and  with  instruments  of  music.  And  the  women 
answered  one  another  as  they  played,  and  said,  "  Saul  hath 
slain  his  thousands,  and  David  his  ten  thousands."  And  Saul 
was  very  wroth,  and  the  saying  displeased  him;  and  he 
said,  "  They  have  ascribed  unto  David  ten  thousands,  and 
to  me  they  have  ascribed  but  thousands :  and  what  can  he 
have  more  but  the  kingdom  ?  "  And  Saul  eyed  David  from 
that  day  and  forward. 

And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  morrow,  that  the  evil  spirit 
from  God  came  upon  Saul,  and  he  prophesied  in  the  midst 
of  the  house:  and  David  played  with  his  hand,  as  at  other 
times:  and  there  was  a  javelin  in  Saul's  hand.  And  Saul  cast 
the  javelin;  for  he  said,  "  I  will  smite  David  even  to  the  wall 
with  it."  And  David  avoided  out  of  his  presence  twice. 

185 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

And  Saul  was  afraid  of  David,  because  the  Lord  was  with 
him,  and  was  departed  from  Saul.  Therefore  Saul  removed 
him  from  him,  and  made  him  his  captain  over  a  thousand; 
and  he  went  out  and  came  in  before  the  people.  And  David 
behaved  himself  wisely  in  all  his  ways;  and  the  Lord  was 
with  him.  Wherefore  when  Saul  saw  that  he  behaved  him- 
self very  wisely,  he  was  afraid  of  him.  But  all  Israel  and 
Judah  loved  David,  because  he  went  out  and  came  in  before 
them. 

5.    DAVID'S  ESCAPE  FROM  SAUL 

And  Saul  spake  to  Jonathan  his  son,  and  to  all  his  ser- 
vants, that  they  should  kill  David.  But  Jonathan,  Saul's  son, 
delighted  much  in  David :  and  Jonathan  told  David,  saying, 
"  Saul  my  father  seeketh  to  kill  thee :  now  therefore,  I  pray 
thee,  take  heed  to  thyself  until  the  morning,  and  abide  in  a 
secret  place,  and  hide  thyself :  and  I  will  go  out  and  stand 
beside  my  father  in  the  field  where  thou  art,  and  I  will  com- 
mune with  my  father  of  thee;  and  what  I  see,  that  I  will  tell 
thee." 

And  Jonathan  spake  good  of  David  unto  Saul  his  father, 
and  said  unto  him,  "  Let  not  the  king  sin  against  his  ser- 
vant, against  David;  because  he  hath  not  sinned  against 
thee,  and  because  his  works  have  been  to  thee-ward  very 
good:  for  he  did  put  his  life  in  his  hand,  and  slew  the 
Philistine,  and  the  Lord  wrought  a  great  salvation  for  all 

186 


THE  STORY   OF  DAVID   THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

Israel :  thou  sawest  it,  and  didst  rejoice :  wherefore  then  wilt 
thou  sin  against  innocent  blood,  to  slay  David  without  a 
cause  ?  "  And  Saul  hearkened  unto  the  voice  of  Jonathan : 
and  Saul  sware,  "  As  the  Lord  liveth,  he  shall  not  be  slain." 
And  Jonathan  called  David,  and  Jonathan  shewed  him  all 
those  things.  And  Jonathan  brought  David  to  Saul,  and  he 
was  in  his  presence,  as  in  times  past. 

And  there  was  war  again:  and  David  went  out,  and 
fought  with  the  Philistines,  and  slew  them  with  a  great 
slaughter;  and  they  fled  from  him.  And  the  evil  spirit  from 
the  Lord  was  upon  Saul,  as  he  sat  in  his  house  with  his  jave- 
lin in  his  hand:  and  David  played  with  his  hand.  And  Saul 
sought  to  smite  David  even  to  the  wall  with  the  javelin ;  but  he 
slipped  away  out  of  Saul's  presence,  and  he  smote  the  jave- 
lin into  the  wall :  and  David  fled,  and  escaped  that  night. 

Saul  also  sent  messengers  unto  David's  house,  to  watch 
him,  and  to  slay  him  in  the  morning:  and  Michal,  David's 
wife,  told  him,  saying,  "  If  thou  save  not  thy  life  to-night, 
to-morrow  thou  shalt  be  slain."  So  Michal  let  David  down 
through  a  window :  and  he  went,  and  fled,  and  escaped.  And 
Michal  took  an  image,  and  laid  it  in  the  bed,  and  put  a  pillow 
of  goats'  hair  for  his  bolster,  and  covered  it  with  a  cloth. 
And  when  Saul  sent  messengers  to  take  David,  she  said,  "  He 
is  sick."  And  Saul  sent  the  messengers  again  to  see  David, 
saying,  "  Bring  him  up  to  me  in  the  bed,  that  I  may  slay 
him."  And  when  the  messengers  were  come  in,  behold,  there 

187 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

was  an  image  in  the  bed,  with  a  pillow  of  goats'  hair  for  his 
bolster.  And  Saul  said  unto  Michal,  "  Why  hast  thou  de- 
ceived me  so,  and  sent  away  mine  enemy,  that  he  is  escaped?" 
And  Michal  answered  Saul,  "He  said  unto  me,  Let  me  go; 
why  should  I  kill  thee?"  So  David  fled,  and  escaped,  and 
came  to  Samuel  to  Ramah,  and  told  him  all  that  Saul  had 
done  to  him.  And  he  and  Samuel  went  and  dwelt  in  N^aioth. 


6.     THE  FRIENDSHIP  OF  JONATHAN 

And  it  was  told  Saul,  saying,  "  Behold,  David  is  at  Naioth 
in  Ramah."  And  Saul  sent  messengers  to  take  David:  and 
David  fled  from  Naioth  in  Ramah,  and  came  and  said  before 
Jonathan : 

"What  have  I  done?  what  is  mine  iniquity?  and  what  is 
my  sin  before  thy  father,  that  he  seeketh  my  life?"  And  he 
said  unto  him: 

"  God  forbid ;  thou  shalt  not  die :  behold,  my  father  will  do 
nothing  either  great  or  small,  but  that  he  will  shew  it  me: 
and  why  should  my  father  hide  this  thing  from  me  ?  it  is  not 
so."  And  David  sware  moreover,  and  said: 

"  Thy  father  certainly  knoweth  that  I  have  found  grace  in 
thine  eyes;  and  he  saith, '  Let  not  Jonathan  know  this,  lest  he 
be  grieved':  but  truly  as  the  Lord  liveth,  and  as  thy  soul 
liveth,  there  is  but  a  step  between  me  and  death."  Then  said 
Jonathan  mito  David: 

188 


THE  STORY   OF  DAVID  THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

"  Whatsoever  thy  soul  desireth,  I  will  even  do  it  for  thee." 
And  David  said  unto  Jonathan: 

"  Behold,  to-morrow  is  the  new  moon,  and  I  should  not 
fail  to  sit  with  the  king  at  meat:  but  let  me  go,  that  I  may 
hide  myself  in  the  field  unto  the  third  day  at  even.  If  thy 
father  at  all  miss  me,  then  say,  David  earnestly  asked  leave 
of  me  that  he  might  run  to  Beth-lehem  his  city :  for  there  is 
a  yearly  sacrifice  there  for  all  the  family.  If  he  say  thus.  It 
is  well ;  thy  servant  shall  have  peace :  but  if  he  be  very  wroth, 
then  be  sure  that  evil  is  determined  by  him.  Therefore  thou 
shalt  deal  kindly  with  thy  servant;  for  thou  hast  brought  thy 
servant  into  a  covenant  of  the  Lord  with  thee :  notwithstand- 
ing, if  there  be  in  me  iniquity,  slay  me  thyself;  for  why 
shouldest  thou  bring  me  to  thy  father?"  And  Jonathan 
said: 

"  Far  be  it  from  thee :  for  if  I  knew  certainly  that  evil 
were  determined  by  my  father  to  come  upon  thee,  then  would 
not  I  tell  it  thee?"  Then  said  David  to  Jonathan: 

"Who  shall  tell  me?  or  what  if  thy  father  answer  thee 
roughly  ?  "  And  Jonathan  said  unto  David : 

"Come,  and  let  us  go  out  into  the  field."  And  they  went 
out  both  of  them  into  the  field.  And  Jonathan  said  unto 
David : 

"  O  Lord  God  of  Israel,  when  I  have  sounded  my  father 
about  to-morrow  any  time,  or  the  third  day,  and,  behold,  if 
there  be  good  toward  David,  and  then  send  I  not  unto  thee,  and 

189 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

shew  it  thee;  the  Lord  do  so  and  much  more  to  Jonathan! 
but  if  it  please  my  father  to  do  thee  evil,  then  I  will  shew  it 
thee,  and  send  thee  away,  that  thou  mayest  go  in  peace :  and 
the  Lord  be  with  thee,  as  he  hath  been  with  my  father.  And 
thou  shalt  not  only  while  yet  I  live  shew  me  the  kindness  of 
the  Lord,  that  I  die  not :  but  also  thou  shalt  not  cut  off  thy 
kindness  from  my  house  for  ever:  no,  not  when  the  Lord 
hath  cut  off  the  enemies  of  David  every  one  from  the  face 
of  the  earth." 

So  Jonathan  made  a  covenant  with  the  house  of  David, 
saying,  "  Let  the  Lord  even  require  it  at  the  hand  of  David's 
enemies."  And  Jonathan  caused  David  to  swear  again,  be- 
cause he  loved  him :  for  he  loved  him  as  he  loved  his  own 
soul.  Then  Jonathan  said  to  David: 

"  To-morrow  is  the  new  moon :  and  thou  shalt  be  missed, 
because  thy  seat  will  be  empty.  And  when  thou  hast  stayed 
three  days,  then  thou  shalt  go  down  quickly,  and  come  to 
the  place  where  thou  didst  hide  thyself  when  the  business 
was  in  hand,  and  shalt  remain  by  the  stone  Ezel.  And  I  will 
shoot  three  arrows  on  the  side  thereof,  as  though  I  shot  at  a 
mark.  And,  behold,  I  will  send  a  lad,  saying,  Go,  find  out 
the  arrows.  If  I  expressly  say  unto  the  lad.  Behold,  the  ar- 
rows are  on  this  side  of  thee,  take  them;  then  come  thou: 
for  there  is  peace  to  thee,  and  no  hurt;  as  the  Lord  liveth. 
But  if  I  say  thus  unto  the  young  man,  Behold,  the  arrows 
are  beyond  thee;  go  thy  way:  for  the  Lord  hath  sent  thee 

190 


THE  STORY   OF  DAVID  THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

away.  And  as  touching  the  matter  which  thou  and  I  have 
spoken  of,  behold,  the  Lord  be  between  thee  and  me  for 
ever." 

So  David  hid  himself  in  the  field :  and  when  the  new  moon 
was  come,  the  king  sat  him  down  to  eat  meat.  And  the  king 
sat  upon  his  seat,  as  at  other  times,  even  upon  a  seat  by  the 
wall :  and  Jonathan  arose,  and  Abner  sat  by  Saul's  side,  and 
David's  place  was  empty.  IS'evertheless  Saul  spake  not  any 
thing  that  day:  for  he  thought.  Something  hath  befallen  him. 
And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  morrow,  which  was  the  second 
day  of  the  month,  that  David's  place  was  empty :  and  Saul 
said  unto  Jonathan  his  son: 

"  "Wherefore  cometh  not  the  son  of  Jesse  to  meat,  neither 
yesterday,  nor  to-day?  "  And  Jonathan  answered  Saul : 

"  David  earnestly  asked  leave  of  me  to  go  to  Beth-lehem : 
and  he  said.  Let  me  go,  I  pray  thee ;  for  our  family  hath  a 
sacrifice  in  the  city ;  and  my  brother,  he  hath  commanded  me 
to  be  there :  and  now,  if  I  have  found  favour  in  thine  eyes, 
let  me  get  away,  I  pray  thee,  and  see  my  brethren.  There- 
fore he  cometh  not  unto  the  king's  table."  Then  Saul's  anger 
was  kindled  against  Jonathan,  and  he  said  unto  him : 

"Thou  son  of  the  perverse  rebellious  woman,  do  not  I 
know  that  thou  hast  chosen  the  son  of  Jesse  to  thine  own 
confusion?  For  as  long  as  the  son  of  Jesse  liveth  upon  the 
ground,  thou  shalt  not  be  established,  nor  thy  kingdom. 
"Wherefore  now  send  and  fetch  him  unto  me,  for  he  shall 

191 


ISRAEL  UNDER   THE   KINGS 

surely  die."  And  Jonathan  answered  Saul  his  father,  and 
said  unto  him: 

"Wherefore  shall  he  be  slain?  what  hath  he  done?"  And 
Saul  cast  a  javelin  at  him  to  smite  him :  whereby  Jonathan 
knew  that  it  was  determined  of  his  father  to  slay  David.  So 
Jonathan  arose  from  the  table  in  fierce  anger,  and  did  eat  no 
meat  the  second  day  of  the  month :  for  he  was  grieved  for 
David,  because  his  father  had  done  him  shame. 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  morning,  that  Jonathan  went 
out  into  the  field  at  the  time  appointed  with  David,  and  a 
little  lad  with  him.  And  he  said  unto  his  lad,  "  Run,  find  out 
now  the  arrows  which  I  shoot."  And  as  the  lad  ran,  he  shot 
an  arrow  beyond  him.  And  when  the  lad  was  come  to  the 
place  of  the  arrow  which  Jonathan  had  shot,  Jonathan  cried 
after  the  lad,  and  said,  "Is  not  the  arrow  beyond  thee?" 
And  Jonathan  cried  after  the  lad,  "  Make  speed,  haste,  stay 
not."  And  Jonathan's  lad  gathered  up  the  arrows,  and  came 
to  his  master.  But  the  lad  knew  not  any  thing:  only  Jona- 
than and  David  knew  the  matter.  And  Jonathan  gave  his 
artillery  unto  his  lad,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Go,  carry  them  to 
the  city." 

And  as  soon  as  the  lad  was  gone,  David  arose  out  of  a 
place  toward  the  south,  and  fell  on  his  face  to  the  ground, 
and  bowed  himself  three  times:  and  they  kissed  one  another, 
and  wept  one  with  another,  until  David  exceeded.  And 
Jonathan  said  to  David,  "  Go  in  peace,  forasmuch  as  we 

192 


THE  STORY   OF  DAVID   THE  SHEPHERD   BOY 

have  sworn  both  of  us  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  saying, '  The 
Lord  be  between  me  and  thee,  and  between  my  seed  and 
thy  seed  for  ever.'"  And  he  arose  and  departed:  and  Jona- 
than went  into  the  city. 

7.     DAVID   SPARES  THE  LIFE  OF  SAUL 

And  the  Ziphites  came  unto  Saul  to  Gibeah,  saying, 
"  Doth  not  David  hide  himself  in  the  hill  of  Hachilah,  which 
is  before  Jeshimon?  "  Then  Saul  arose,  and  went  down  to 
the  wilderness  of  Ziph,  having  three  thousand  chosen  men 
of  Israel  with  him,  to  seek  David  in  the  wilderness  of  Ziph. 
And  Saul  pitched  in  the  hill  of  Hachilah,  which  is  before 
Jeshimon,  by  the  way.  But  David  abode  in  the  wilderness,  and 
he  saw  that  Saul  came  after  him  into  the  wilderness.  David 
therefore  sent  out  spies,  and  understood  that  Saul  was  come 
in  very  deed. 

And  David  arose,  and  came  to  the  place  where  Saul  had 
pitched:  and  David  beheld  the  place  where  Saul  lay,  and 
Abner  the  son  of  Ner,  the  captain  of  his  host:  and  Saul  lay 
in  the  trench,  and  the  people  pitched  round  about  him.  Then 
answered  David  and  said  to  Ahimelech  the  Hittite,  and  to 
Abishai  the  son  of  Zeruiah,  brother  to  Joab,  saying,  "  "Who 
will  go  down  with  me  to  Saul  to  the  camp  ?  "  And  Abishai 
said,  "  I  will  go  down  with  thee."  So  David  and  Abishai 
came  to  the  people  by  night:  and,  behold,  Saul  lay  sleeping 
within  the  trench,  and  his  spear  stuck  in  the  ground  at  his 

193 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

bolster:  but  Abner  and  the  people  lay  round  about  him. 
Then  said  Abishai  to  David: 

"  God  hath  delivered  thine  enemy  into  thine  hand  this  day : 
now  therefore  let  me  smite  him,  I  pray  thee,  with  the  spear 
even  to  the  earth  at  once,  and  I  will  not  smite  him  the 
second  time."  And  David  said  to  Abishai : 

"Destroy  him  not:  for  who  can  stretch  forth  his  hand 
against  the  Lord's  anointed,  and  be  guiltless  ?  "  David  said 
furthermore:  ''  As  the  Lord  liveth,  the  Lord  shall  smite  him; 
or  his  day  shall  come  to  die;  or  he  shall  descend  into  battle, 
and  perish.  The  Lord  forbid  that  I  should  stretch  forth 
mine  hand  against  the  Lord's  anointed:  but,  I  pray  thee, 
take  thou  now  the  spear  that  is  at  his  bolster,  and  the  cruse 
of  water,  and  let  us  go."  So  David  took  the  spear  and  the 
cruse  of  water  from  Saul's  bolster;  and  they  gat  them  away, 
and  no  man  saw  it,  nor  knew  it,  neither  awaked:  for  they 
were  all  asleep;  because  a  deep  sleep  from  the  Lord  was 
fallen  upon  them. 

Then  David  went  over  to  the  other  side,  and  stood  on  the 
top  of  an  hill  afar  off;  a  great  space  being  between  them: 
and  David  cried  to  the  people,  and  to  Abner  the  son  of 
Ner,  saying: 

"Answerest  thou  not,  Abner?"  Then  Abner  answered 
and  said: 

"  Who  art  thou  that  criest  to  the  king?  "  And  David  said 
to  Abner: 

194 


THE  STORY  OF  DAVID  THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

"  Art  not  thou  a  valiant  man  ?  and  who  is  hke  to  thee  in 
Israel  ?  wherefore  then  hast  thou  not  kept  thy  lord  the  king? 
for  there  came  one  of  the  people  in  to  destroy  the  king  thy 
lord.  This  thing  is  not  good  that  thou  hast  done.  As  the 
Lord  liveth,  ye  are  worthy  to  die,  because  ye  have  not  kept 
your  master,  the  Lord's  anointed.  And  now  see  where  the 
king's  spear  is,  and  the  cruse  of  water  that  was  at  his  bol- 
ster." And  Saul  knew  David's  voice,  and  said: 

"  Is  this  thy  voice,  my  son  David  ?  "  And  David  said : 

"  It  is  my  voice,  my  lord,  O  king."  And  he  said,  "  Where- 
fore doth  my  lord  thus  pursue  after  his  servant  ?  for  what 
have  I  done  ?  or  what  evil  is  in  mine  hand  ?  l^ow  therefore, 
I  pray  thee,  let  my  lord  the  king  hear  the  words  of  his  ser- 
vant. If  the  Lord  have  stirred  thee  up  against  me,  let  him 
accept  an  offering:  but  if  they  be  the  children  of  men, 
cursed  be  they  before  the  Lord;  for  they  have  driven  me 
out  this  day  from  abiding  in  the  inheritance  of  the  Lord, 
saying,  Go,  serve  other  gods.  ISTow  therefore,  let  not  my 
blood  fall  to  the  earth  before  the  face  of  the  Lord :  for  the 
king  of  Israel  is  come  out  to  seek  a  flea,  as  when  one  doth 
hunt  a  partridge  in  the  mountains."  Then  said  Saul: 

"  I  have  sinned:  return,  my  son  David:  for  I  willno  more 
do  thee  harm,  because  my  soul  was  precious  in  thine  eyes 
this  day:  behold,  I  have  played  the  fool,  and  have  erred 
exceedingly."  And  David  answered  and  said: 

"  Behold  the  king's  spear!  and  let  one  of  the  young  men 

195 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

come  over  and  fetch  it.  The  Lord  render  to  every  man  his 
righteousness  and  his  faithfulness:  for  the  Lord  deUvered 
thee  into  my  hand  to-day,  but  I  w^ould  not  stretch  forth 
mine  hand  against  the  Lord's  anointed.  And,  behold,  as  thy 
life  was  much  set  by  this  day  in  mine  eyes,  so  let  my  life  be 
much  set  by  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  and  let  him  deliver  me 
out  of  all  tribulation."  Then  Saul  said  to  David: 

"  Blessed  be  thou,  my  son  David:  thou  shalt  both  do  great 
things,  and  also  shalt  still  prevail."  So  David  went  on  his 
way,  and  Saul  returned  to  his  place. 

8.    THE  BATTLE  OF  GILBOA 

!Now  the  Philistines  fought  against  Israel :  and  the  men 
of  Israel  fled  from  before  the  Philistines,  and  fell  down  slain 
in  mount  Gilboa.  And  the  Philistines  followed  hard  upon 
Saul  and  upon  his  sons;  and  the  Philistines  slew  Jonathan, 
and  Abinadab,  and  Melchi-shua,  Saul's  sons.  And  the  battle 
went  sore  against  Saul,  and  the  archers  hit  him ;  and  he  was 
sore  wounded  of  the  archers.  Then  said  Saul  unto  his  ar- 
mourbearer,  "  Draw  thy  sword,  and  thrust  me  through  there- 
with; lest  these  [Philistines]  come  and  thrust  me  through, 
and  abuse  me."  But  his  armourbearer  would  not;  for  he  was 
sore  afraid.  Therefore  Saul  took  a  sword,  and  fell  upon  it. 
And  when  his  armourbearer  saw  that  Saul  was  dead,  he  fell 
likewise  upon  his  sword,  and  died  with  him.   So  Saul  died, 

196 


THE  STORY  OF  DAVID  THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

and  his  three  sons,  and  his  armourbearer,  and  all  his  men, 
that  same  day  together. 

It  came  even  to  pass  on  the  third  day,  that,  behold,  a  man 
came  out  of  the  camp  from  Saul  with  his  clothes  rent,  and 
earth  upon  his  head :  and  so  it  was,  when  he  came  to  David, 
that  he  fell  to  the  earth,  and  did  obeisance.  And  David  said 
unto  him: 

"From  whence  comest  thou?"  And  he  said  unto  him: 

"  Out  of  the  camp  of  Israel  am  I  escaped."  And  David 
said  unto  him : 

"How  went  the  matter?  I  pray  thee,  tell  me."  And  he 
answered : 

"  The  people  are  fled  from  the  battle,  and  many  of  the 
people  also  are  fallen  and  dead;  and  Saul  and  Jonathan  his 
son  are  dead  also."  And  David  said  unto  the  young  man 
that  told  him: 

"  How  knowest  thou  that  Saul  and  Jonathan  his  son  be 
dead?  "  And  the  young  man  that  told  him  said : 

"As  I  happened  by  chance  upon  mount  Gilboa,  behold, 
Saul  leaned  upon  his  spear;  and,  lo,  the  chariots  and  horse- 
men followed  hard  after  him.  And  when  he  looked  behind 
him,  he  saw  me,  and  called  unto  me.  And  I  answered,  Here 
am  I.  And  he  said  unto  me.  Who  art  thou?  And  I  answered 
him,  I  am  an  Amalekite.  He  said  unto  me  again,  Stand,  I 
pray  thee,  upon  me,  and  slay  me :  for  anguish  is  come  upon 
me,  because  my  life  is  yet  whole  in  me.  So  I  stood  upon  him, 

197 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

and  slew  him,  because  I  was  sure  that  he  could  not  live  after 
that  he  was  fallen :  and  I  took  the  crown  that  was  upon  his 
head,  and  the  bracelet  that  was  on  his  arm,  and  have  brought 
them  hither  unto  my  lord."  Then  David  took  hold  on  his 
clothes,  and  rent  them ;  and  likewise  all  the  men  that  were 
with  him:  and  they  mourned,  and  wept,  and  fasted  until 
even,  for  Saul,  and  for  Jonathan  his  son,  and  for  the  people 
of  the  Lord,  and  for  the  house  of  Israel;  because  they  were 
fallen  by  the  sword. 

And  David  lamented  with  this  lamentation  over  Saul  and 
over  Jonathan  his  son : 

"  The  beauty  of  Israel  is  slain  upon  thy  high  places:  how 
are  the  mighty  fallen !  Tell  it  not  in  Gath,  publish  it  not  in 
the  streets  of  Askelon ;  lest  the  daughters  of  the  Phihstines 
rejoice.  Ye  mountains  of  Gilboa,  let  there  be  no  dew,  neither 
let  there  be  rain,  upon  you,  nor  fields  of  offerings :  for  there 
the  shield  of  the  mighty  is  vilely  cast  away,  the  shield  of 
Saul,  as  though  he  had  not  been  anointed  with  oil.  From  the 
blood  of  the  slain,  from  the  fat  of  the  mighty,  the  bow  of 
Jonathan  turned  not  back,  and  the  sword  of  Saul  returned 
not  empty.  Saul  and  Jonathan  were  lovely  and  pleasant  in 
their  lives,  and  in  their  death  they  were  not  divided :  they 
were  swifter  than  eagles,  they  were  stronger  than  lions.  Ye 
daughters  of  Israel,  weep  over  Saul,  who  clothed  you  in 
scarlet,  with  other  delights,  who  put  on  ornaments  of  gold 
upon  your  apparel.  How  are  the  mighty  fallen  in  the  midst 

198 


THE   STORY   OF   DAVID   THE  SHEPHERD   BOY 

of  the  battle !  O  Jonathan,  thou  wast  slain  m  thine  high 
places.  I  am  distressed  for  thee,  my  brother  Jonathan :  very 
pleasant  hast  thou  been  unto  me :  thy  love  to  me  was  won- 
derful, passing  the  love  of  women.  How  are  the  mighty 
fallen,  and  the  weapons  of  war  perished  !  " 


9.    A  PSALM  OF  DAVID 

The  Lord  is  my  shepherd;  I  shall  not  want.  He  maketh 
me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures:  he  leadeth  me  beside  the 
still  waters.  He  restoreth  my  soul:  he  leadeth  me  in  the 
paths  of  righteousness  for  his  name's  sake.  Yea,  though  I 
walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear 
no  evil :  for  thou  art  with  me ;  thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they  com- 
fort me.  Thou  preparest  a  table  before  me  in  the  presence 
of  mine  enemies :  thou  anointest  my  head  with  oil ;  my  cup 
runneth  over.  Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow  me 
all  the  days  of  my  life:  and  I  will  dwell  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord  for  ever. 


10.     THE  STORY  OP  THE  LITTLE  EWE  LAMB 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  an  eveningtide,  that  David  arose 
from  off  his  bed,  and  walked  upon  the  roof  of  the  king's 
house :  and  from  the  roof  he  saw  a  woman ;  and  the  woman 
was  very  beautiful  to  look  upon.   And  David  sent  and  en- 

199 


ISRAEL   UNDER  THE  KINGS 

quired  after  the  woman.  And  one  said,  "  Is  not  this  Bath- 
sheba,  the  daughter  of  Eham,  the  wife  of  Uriah  the  Hittite?" 
And  David  sent  messengers,  and  took  her. 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  morning,  that  David  wrote  a 
letter  to  Joab,  and  sent  it  by  the  hand  of  Uriah.  And  he 
wrote  in  the  letter,  saying,  "  Set  ye  Uriah  in  the  forefront 
of  the  hottest  battle,  and  retire  ye  from  him,  that  he  may  be 
smitten,  and  die."  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Joab  observed 
the  city,  that  he  assigned  Uriah  unto  a  place  where  he  knew 
that  valiant  men  were.  And  the  men  of  the  city  went  out, 
and  fought  with  Joab :  and  there  fell  some  of  the  people  of 
the  servants  of  David;  and  Uriah  the  Hittite  died  also.  And 
when  the  wife  of  Uriah  heard  that  Uriah  her  husband  was 
dead,  she  mourned  for  her  husband.  And  when  the  mourn- 
ing was  past,  David  sent  and  fetched  her  to  his  house,  and 
she  became  his  wife,  and  bare  him  a  son.  But  the  thing  that 
David  had  done  displeased  the  Lord. 

And  the  Lord  sent  INathan  unto  David.  And  he  came  unto 
him,  and  said  unto  him : 

"  There  were  two  men  in  one  city ;  the  one  rich,  and  the 
other  poor.  The  rich  man  had  exceeding  many  flocks  and 
herds :  but  the  poor  man  had  nothing,  save  one  little  ewe 
lamb,  which  he  had  bought  and  nourished  up :  and  it  grew 
up  together  with  him,  and  with  his  children ;  it  did  eat  of  his 
own  meat,  and  drank  of  his  own  cup,  and  lay  in  his  bosom, 
and  was  unto  him  as  a  daughter.  And  there  came  a  traveller 

200 


THE  STORY   OF  DAVID   THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

unto  the  rich  man,  and  he  spared  to  take  of  his  own  flock  and 
of  his  own  herd,  to  di-ess  for  the  wayfaring  man  that  was 
come  mito  him ;  but  took  the  poor  man's  lamb,  and  dressed 
it  for  the  man  that  was  come  to  him."  And  David's  anger 
was  greatly  kindled  against  the  man ;  and  he  said  to  ^N^athan  : 

"  As  the  Lord  liveth,  the  man  that  hath  done  this  thing  shall 
surely  die :  and  he  shall  restore  the  lamb  fourfold,  because 
he  did  this  thing,  and  because  he  had  no  pity."  And  Nathan 
said  to  David : 

"  Thou  art  the  man.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  I 
anointed  thee  king  over  Israel,  and  I  delivered  thee  out  of 
the  hand  of  Saul;  and  I  gave  thee  thy  master's  house,  and 
gave  thee  the  house  of  Israel  and  of  Judah ;  and  if  that  had 
been  too  little,  I  would  moreover  have  given  unto  thee  such 
and  such  things.  Wherefore  hast  thou  despised  the  com- 
mandment of  the  Lord,  to  do  evil  in  his  sight?  thou  hast 
killed  Uriah  the  Hittite  with  the  sword,  and  hast  taken  his 
wife  to  be  thy  wife,  and  hast  slain  him  with  the  sword  of  the 
children  of  Ammon.  ISTow  therefore  the  sword  shall  never 
depart  from  thine  house ;  because  thou  hast  despised  me,  and 
hast  taken  the  wife  of  Uriah  the  Hittite  to  be  thy  wife."  And 
David  said  unto  N^athan : 

"  I  have  sinned  against  the  Lord."  And  Nathan  said  unto 
David : 

"  The  Lord  also  hath  put  away  thy  sin ;  thou  shalt  not  die. 
Howbeit,  because  by  this  deed  thou  hast  given  great  occa- 

201 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

sion  to  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  to  blaspheme,  the  child  also 
that  is  born  unto  thee  shall  surely  die."  And  Nathan  de- 
parted unto  his  house. 

And  the  Lord  struck  the  child  that  Uriah's  wife  bare  unto 
David,  and  it  was  very  sick.  David  therefore  besought  God 
for  the  child ;  and  David  fasted,  and  went  in,  and  lay  aU  night 
upon  the  earth.  And  the  elders  of  his  house  arose,  and  went 
to  him,  to  raise  him  up  from  the  earth :  but  he  would  not, 
neither  did  he  eat  bread  with  them.  And  it  came  to  pass  on 
the  seventh  day,  that  the  child  died. 

11.     DAVID'S  UNGRATEFUL  SON,   ABSALOM 

In  all  Israel  there  was  none  to  be  so  much  praised  as  Ab- 
salom for  his  beauty :  from  the  sole  of  his  foot  even  to  the 
crown  of  his  head  there  was  no  blemish  in  him.  And  when 
he  polled  his  head,  (for  it  was  at  every  year's  end  that  he 
polled  it :  because  the  hair  was  heavy  on  him,  therefore  he 
polled  it :)  he  weighed  the  hair  of  his  head  at  two  hundred 
shekels  after  the  king's  weight. 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  this,  that  Absalom  prepared  him 
chariots  and  horses,  and  fifty  men  to  run  before  him.  And 
Absalom  rose  up  early,  and  stood  beside  the  way  of  the  gate : 
and  it  was  so,  that  when  any  man  that  had  a  controversy 
came  to  the  king  for  judgment,  then  Absalom  called  unto 
him,  and  said : 

202 


THE  STORY   OF  DAVID  THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

"Of  what  city  art  thou?"  And  he  said: 

"  Thy  servant  is  of  one  of  the  tribes  of  Israel."  And  Ab- 
salom said  unto  him : 

"See,  thy  matters  are  good  and  right;  but  there  is  no  man 
deputed  of  the  king  to  hear  thee."  Absalom  said  moreover, 
"Oh  that  I  were  made  judge  in  the  land,  that  every  man 
which  hath  any  suit  or  cause  might  come  unto  me,  and  I 
would  do  him  justice ! "  And  it  was  so,  that  when  any  man 
came  nigh  to  him  to  do  him  obeisance,  he  put  forth  his  hand, 
and  took  him,  and  kissed  him.  And  on  this  manner  did  Ab- 
salom to  all  Israel  that  came  to  the  king  for  judgment :  so 
Absalom  stole  the  hearts  of  the  men  of  Israel. 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  forty  years,  that  Absalom  said 
unto  the  king : 

"  I  pray  thee,  let  me  go  and  pay  my  vow,  which  I  have 
vowed  mito  the  Lord,  in  Hebron.  For  thy  servant  vowed  a 
vow  while  I  abode  at  Geshur  in  Syria,  saying.  If  the  Lord 
shall  bring  me  again  indeed  to  Jerusalem,  then  I  will  serve 
the  Lord."  And  the  king  said  unto  him : 

"  Go  in  peace."  So  he  arose,  and  went  to  Hebron. 

But  Absalom  sent  spies  throughout  all  the  tribes  of  Is- 
rael, saying,  "  As  soon  as  ye  hear  the  sound  of  the  trumpet, 
then  ye  shall  say,  Absalom  reigneth  in  Hebron."  And  with 
Absalom  went  two  hundred  men  out  of  Jerusalem,  that  were 
called ;  and  they  went  in  their  simplicity,  and  they  knew  not 
any  thing.  And  Absalom  sent  for  Ahithophel  the  Gilonite, 

203 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

David's  counsellor,  from  his  city,  even  from  Giloh,  while  he 
offered  sacrifices.  And  the  conspiracy  was  strong;  for  the 
people  increased  continually  with  Absalom. 

And  there  came  a  messenger  to  David,  saying : 

"  The  hearts  of  the  men  of  Israel  are  after  Absalom." 
And  David  said  unto  all  his  servants  that  were  with  him  at 
Jerusalem : 

"Arise,  and  let  us  flee;  for  we  shall  not  else  escape  from 
Absalom :  make  speed  to  depart,  lest  he  overtake  us  sud- 
denly, and  bring  evil  upon  us,  and  smite  the  city  with  the 
edge  of  the  sword."  And  the  king's  servants  said  unto  the 
king : 

"  Behold,  thy  servants  are  ready  to  do  whatsoever  my 
lord  the  king  shall  appoint." 

And  the  king  went  forth,  and  all  his  household  after  him. 
Ajid  the  king  also  himself  passed  over  the  brook  Kidron, 
and  all  the  people  passed  over,  toward  the  way  of  the  wil- 
derness. And  David  went  up  by  the  ascent  of  mount  Olivet, 
and  wept  as  he  went  up,  and  had  his  head  covered,  and  he 
went  barefoot :  and  all  the  people  that  was  with  him  covered 
every  man  his  head,  and  they  went  up,  weeping  as  they 
went  up.  Then  David  came  to  Mahanaim.  And  Absalom 
passed  over  Jordan,  he  and  all  the  men  of  Israel  with  him. 
So  Israel  and  Absalom  pitched  in  the  land  of  Gilead. 

And  David  numbered  the  people  that  were  with  him, 
and  set  captains  of  thousands  and  captains  of  hundreds  over 

204 


THE  STORY   OF  DAVID   THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

them.  And  David  sent  forth  a  third  part  of  the  people  un- 
der the  hand  of  Joab,  and  a  third  part  mider  the  hand  of 
Abishai  the  son  of  Zeruiah,  Joab's  brother,  and  a  third  part 
under  the  hand  of  Ittai  the  Gittite.  And  the  king  said  unto 
the  people: 

"  I  will  surely  go  forth  with  you  myself  also."  But  the 
people  answered: 

"  Thou  shalt  not  go  forth :  for  if  we  flee  away,  they  will 
not  care  for  us-;  neither  if  half  of  us  die,  will  they  care  for 
us :  but  now  thou  art  worth  ten  thousand  of  us :  therefore 
now  it  is  better  that  thou  succour  us  out  of  the  city."  And 
the  king  said  unto  them : 

"  What  seemeth  you  best  I  will  do."  And  the  king  stood 
by  the  gate  side,  and  all  the  people  came  out  by  hundreds 
and  by  thousands.  And  the  king  commanded  Joab  and  Abi- 
shai and  Ittai,  saying, 

"  Deal  gently  for  my  sake  with  the  yomig  man,  even  with 
Absalom."  And  all  the  people  heard  when  the  king  gave 
all  the  caj)tains  charge  concerning  Absalom. 

So  the  people  went  out  into  the  field  against  Israel :  and 
the  battle  was  in  the  wood  of  Ephraim ;  where  the  people  of 
Israel  were  slain  before  the  servants  of  David,  and  there  was 
there  a  great  slaughter  that  day  of  twenty  thousand  men. 
For  the  battle  was  there  scattered  over  the  face  of  all  the 
country :  and  the  wood  devoured  more  people  that  day  than 
the  sword  devoured. 

205 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

And  Absalom  met  the  servants  of  David.  And  Absalom 
rode  upon  a  mule,  and  the  mule  went  under  the  thick  boughs 
of  a  great  oak,  and  his  head  caught  hold  of  the  oak,  and  he 
was  taken  up  between  the  heaven  and  the  earth;  and  the 
mule  that  was  under  him  went  away.  And  a  certain  man 
saw  it,  and  told  Joab,  and  said ; 


.,     «,ixvi     ..^^i^^    ^vy«^^. 


"  Behold,  I  saw  Absalom  hanged  in  an  oak."  And  Joab 
said  unto  the  man  that  told  him : 

"  And,  behold,  thou  sawest  him,  and  why  didst  thou  not 
smite  him  there  to  the  ground?  and  I  would  have  given  thee 
ten  shekels  of  silver,  and  a  girdle."  Ajid  the  man  said  unto 
Joab: 

"  Though  I  should  receive  a  thousand  shekels  of  silver  in 
mine  hand,  yet  would  I  not  put  forth  mine  hand  against  the 
king's  son:  for  in  our  hearing  the  king  charged  thee  and 
Abishai  and  Ittai,  saying, '  Beware  that  none  touch  the  young 
man  Absalom.'  Otherwise  I  should  have  wrought  falsehood 
against  mine  own  life :  for  there  is  no  matter  hid  from  the 
king,  and  thou  thyself  wouldest  have  set  thyself  against 
me."  Then  said  Joab : 

"  I  may  not  tarry  thus  with  thee."  And  he  took  three 
darts  in  his  hand,  and  thrust  them  through  the  heart  of  Ab- 
salom, while  he  was  yet  alive  in  the  midst  of  the  oak.  And 
ten  young  men  that  bare  Joab's  armour  compassed  about  and 
smote  Absalom,  and  slew  him.  And  Joab  blew  the  trumpet, 
and  the  people  returned  from  j^ursuing  after  Israel :  for  Joab 

206 


THE  STORY  OF  DAVID  THE  SHEPHERD  BOY 

held  back  the  people.  And  they  took  Absalom,  and  cast 
him  mto  a  great  pit  in  the  wood,  and  laid  a  very  great 
heap  of  stones  upon  him :  and  all  Israel  fled  every  one  to 
his  tent. 

Then  said  Ahimaaz  the  son  of  Zadok : 

"  Let  me  now  run,  and  bear  the  king  tidings,  how  that  the 
Lord  hath  avenged  him  of  his  enemies."  And  Joab  said 
unto  him : 

"  Thou  shalt  not  bear  tidings  this  day,  but  thou  shalt  bear 
tidings  another  day :  but  this  day  thou  shalt  bear  no  tidings, 
because  the  king's  son  is  dead."  Then  said  Joab  to  Cushi : 

"  Go  tell  the  king  what  thou  hast  seen."  And  Cushi  bowed 
himself  unto  Joab,  and  ran.  Then  said  Ahimaaz  the  son  of 
Zadok  yet  again  to  Joab : 

"  But  howsoever,  let  me,  I  pray  thee,  also  run  after 
Cushi."  And  Joab  said : 

"  Wherefore  wilt  thou  run,  my  son,  seeing  that  thou  hast 
no  tidings  ready?"  "  But  howsoever,"  said  he,  "let  me  run." 
And  he  said  unto  him,  "  Run."  Then  Ahimaaz  ran  by  the 
way  of  the  plain,  and  overran  Cushi.  And  David  sat  be- 
tween the  two  gates:  and  the  watchman  went  up  to  the  roof 
over  the  gate  unto  the  wall,  and  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and 
looked,  and  behold  a  man  running  alone.  And  the  watchman 
cried,  and  told  the  king.  And  the  king  said : 

"  If  he  be  alone,  there  is  tidings  in  his  mouth."  And  he 
came  apace,  and  drew  near.  And  the  watchman  saw  another 

207 


ISRAEL   UNDER   THE   KINGS 

man  running :  and  the  watchman  called  unto  the  porter,  and 
said : 

*'  Behold  another  man  running  alone."  And  the  king  said : 

"  He  also  bringeth  tidings."  And  the  watchman  said : 

"  Me  thinketh  the  running  of  the  foremost  is  like  the  run- 
ning of  Ahimaaz  the  son  of  Zadok."  And  the  king  said: 

"  He  is  a  good  man,  and  cometh  with  good  tidings."  And 
Ahimaaz  called,  and  said  unto  the  king : 

"  All  is  well."  And  he  fell  down  to  the  earth  upon  his  face 
before  the  king,  and  said,  "  Blessed  be  the  Lord  thy  God, 
which  hath  delivered  up  the  men  that  lifted  up  their  hand 
against  my  lord  the  king."  And  the  king  said : 

"Is  the  young  man  Absalom  safe?"  And  Ahimaaz  an- 
swered : 

"  When  Joab  sent  the  king's  servant,  and  me  thy  servant, 
I  saw  a  great  tumult,  but  I  knew  not  what  it  was."  And  the 
king  said  unto  him : 

"  Turn  aside,  and  stand  here."  And  he  turned  aside,  and 
stood  still. 

And,  behold,  Cushi  came;  and  Cushi  said: 

"  Tidings,  my  lord  the  king :  for  the  Lord  hath  avenged 
thee  this  day  of  all  them  that  rose  up  against  thee."  And 
the  king  said  unto  Cushi : 

"  Is  the  young  man  Absalom  safe?  "  And  Cushi  answered : 

"  The  enemies  of  my  lord  the  king,  and  all  that  rise 
against  thee  to  do  thee  hurt^  be  as  that  young  man  is." 

208 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

And  the  king  was  much  moved,  and  went  up  to  the  cham- 
ber over  the  gate,  and  wept :  and  as  he  went,  thus  he  said, 
"  O  my  son  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son  Absalom !  would  God 
I  had  died  for  thee,  O  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son  I " 


THE  STORY  OF  KING  SOLOMOIS" 

1.    SOLOMON'S  CHOICE 

Now  the  days  of  David  drew  nigh  that  he  should  die ;  and 
he  charged  Solomon  his  son,  saying,  "I  go  the  way  of  all  the 
earth :  be  thou  strong  therefore,  and  shew  thyself  a  man ;  and 
keep  the  charge  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in  his  ways, 
to  keep  his  statutes,  and  his  commandments,  and  his  judg- 
ments, and  his  testimonies,  as  it  is  written  in  the  law  of 
Moses,  that  thou  mayest  prosper  in  all  that  thou  doest,  and 
whithersoever  thou  turnest  thyself :  that  the  Lord  may  con- 
tinue his  word  which  he  spake  concerning  me,  saying.  If  thy 
children  take  heed  to  their  way,  to  walk  before  me  in  truth 
with  all  their  heart  and  with  all  their  soul,  there  shall  not 
fail  thee  (said  he)  a  man  on  the  throne  of  Israel."  So  David 
slept  with  his  fathers,  and  was  buried  in  the  city  of  David. 
And  the  days  that  David  reigned  over  Israel  were  forty  years : 
seven  years  reigned  he  in  Hebron,  and  thirty  and  three  years 
reigned  he  in  Jerusalem. 

Then  sat  Solomon  upon  the  throne  of  David  his  father; 
and  his  kingdom  was  established  greatly.  And  Solomon  loved 
the  Lord,  walking  in  the  statutes  of  David  his  father :  only 
he  sacrificed  and  burnt  incense  in  high  places.  And  the  king 
went  to  Gibeon  to  sacrifice  there ;  for  that  was  the  great  high 

210 


THE  STORY  OF  KING  SOLOMON 

place :  a  thousand  burnt  offerings  did  Solomon  offer  upon 
that  altar.  In  Gibeon  the  Lord  appeared  to  Solomon  in  a 
dream  by  night:  and  God  said: 

"Ask  what  I  shall  give  thee."  And  Solomon  said: 
"  Thou  hast  shewed  imto  thy  servant  David  my  father 
great  mercy,  according  as  he  walked  before  thee  in  truth, 
and  in  righteousness,  and  in  uprightness  of  heart  with  thee; 
and  thou  hast  kept  for  him  this  great  kindness,  that  thou 
hast  given  him  a  son  to  sit  on  his  throne,  as  it  is  this  day. 
And  now,  O  Lord  my  God,  thou  hast  made  thy  servant  king 
instead  of  David  my  father :  and  I  am  but  a  little  child :  I 
know  not  how  to  go  out  or  come  in.  And  thy  servant  is  in 
the  midst  of  thy  people  which  thou  hast  chosen,  a  great 
people,  that  cannot  be  numbered  nor  counted  for  multitude. 
Give  therefore  thy  servant  an  understanding  heart  to  judge 
thy  people,  that  I  may  discern  between  good  and  bad :  for 
who  is  able  to  judge  this  thy  so  great  a  people?"  And  the 
speech  pleased  the  Lord,  that  Solomon  had  asked  this  thing. 
And  God  said  unto  him : 

"  Because  thou  hast  asked  this  thing,  and  hast  not  asked 
for  thyself  long  life ;  neither  hast  asked  riches  for  thyself,  nor 
hast  asked  the  life  of  thine  enemies ;  but  hast  asked  for  thy- 
self understanding  to  discern  judgment;  behold,  I  have  done 
according  to  thy  words :  lo,  I  have  given  thee  a  wise  and  an 
understanding  heart ;  so  that  there  was  none  like  thee  before 
thee,  neither  after  thee  shall  any  arise  Hke  unto  thee.  And  I 

211 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

have  also  given  thee  that  which  thou  hast  not  asked,  both 
riches,  and  honour :  so  that  there  shall  not  be  any  among  the 
kings  like  mito  thee  all  thy  days.  And  if  thou  wilt  walk  in 
my  ways,  to  keep  my  statutes  and  my  commandments,  as  thy 
father  David  did  walk,  then  I  will  lengthen  thy  days."  And 
Solomon  awoke ;  and,  behold,  it  was  a  dream.  And  he  came 
to  Jerusalem,  and  stood  before  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of 
the  Lord,  and  offered  up  burnt  offerings,  and  offered  peace 
offerings,  and  made  a  feast  to  all  his  servants. 

2.    A  WISE  JUDGE 

Then  came  there  two  women  unto  the  king;  and  stood  be- 
fore him.  And  the  one  woman  said : 

"  O  my  lord,  I  and  this  woman  dwell  in  one  house ;  and 
we  were  together;  there  was  no  stranger  with  us  in  the 
house,  save  we  two  in  the  house.  And  this  woman's  child 
died  in  the  night;  because  she  overlaid  it.  And  she  arose  at 
midnight,  and  took  my  son  from  beside  me,  while  thine  hand- 
maid slept,  and  laid  it  in  her  bosom,  and  laid  her  dead  child 
in  my  bosom.  And  when  I  rose  in  the  morning  to  give  my 
child  suck,  behold,  it  was  dead :  but  when  I  had  considered' 
it  in  the  morning,  behold,  it  was  not  my  son,  which  I  did 
bear."  And  the  other  woman  said : 

"  N'ay :  but  the  living  is  my  son,  and  the  dead  is  thy  son." 
And  this  said : 

212 


rt-^.'-'C-- 


?  c^^v^s^^^-^SFj 


""^^^^^^^fm^-^Af'Mi  'r-i,._  \  |v|f;j|;!|iilf'-V|-vi| 


■■;=  !».'■-'• 


"«'4SL" 


THE   JUDGMENT    OF    SOLOMON 


THE  STORY  OF  KING  SOLOMON 

"N"o;  but  the  dead  is  thy  son,  and  the  living  is  my  son." 
Thus  they  spake  before  the  king. 

Then  said  the  king : 

"  The  one  saith,  This  is  my  son  that  liveth,  and  thy  son  is 
the  dead:  and  the  other  saith,  ISTay;  but  thy  son  is  the  dead, 
and  my  son  is  the  hving."  And  the  king  said,  ''Bring  me  a 
sword."  And  they  brought  a  sword  before  the  king.  And  the 
king  said,  "  Divide  the  living  child  in  two,  and  give  half  to 
the  one,  and  half  to  the  other."  Then  spake  the  woman  whose 
the  living  child  was  unto  the  king,  for  her  bowels  yearned 
upon  her  son,  and  she  said : 

"  O  my  lord,  give  her  the  living  child,  and  in  no  wise  slay 
it."  But  the  other  said : 

"  Let  it  be  neither  mine  nor  thine,  but  divide  it."  Then  the 
king  answered  and  said : 

"  Give  her  the  living  child,  and  in  no  wise  slay  it :  she  is 
the  mother  thereof."  And  all  Israel  heard  of  the  judgment 
which  the  king  had  judged;  and  they  feared  the  king:  for 
they  saw  that  the  wisdom  of  God  was  in  him,  to  do  judgment. 

3.  SOLOMON  BUILDS  A  HOUSE  FOR  THE  LORD 

And  Hiram  king  of  Tyre  sent  his  servants  unto  Solomon ; 
for  he  had  heard  that  they  had  anointed  him  king  in  the  room 
of  his  father :  for  Hiram  was  ever  a  lover  of  David.  And 
Solomon  sent  to  Hiram,  saying,  "  Thou  knowest  how  that 

213 


ISRAEL   UNDER  THE  KINGS 

David  my  father  could  not  build  an  house  unto  the  name  of 
the  Lord  his  God  for  the  wars  which  were  about  him  on  every 
side,  until  the  Lord  put  them  under  the  soles  of  his  feet. 
But  now  the  Lord  my  God  hath  given  me  rest  on  every  side, 
so  that  there  is  neither  adversary  nor  evil  occurrent.  And, 
behold,  I  purpose  to  build  an  house  unto  the  name  of  the 
Lord  my  God,  as  the  Lord  spake  unto  David  my  father,  say- 
ing. Thy  son,  whom  I  will  set  upon  thy  throne  in  thy  room, 
he  shall  build  an  house  unto  my  name.  Kow  therefore  com- 
mand thou  that  they  hew  me  cedar  trees  out  of  Lebanon; 
and  my  servants  shall  be  with  thy  servants :  and  unto  thee 
will  I  give  hire  for  thy  servants  according  to  all  that  thou 
shalt  appoint :  for  thou  knowest  that  there  is  not  among  us 
any  that  can  skill  to  hew  timber  like  unto  the  Sidonians." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Hiram  heard  the  words  of  Solo- 
mon, that  he  rejoiced  greatly,  and  said,  "  Blessed  be  the  Lord 
this  day,  which  hath  given  unto  David  a  wise  son  over  this 
great  people."  And  Hiram  sent  to  Solomon,  saying: 

"  I  have  considered  the  things  which  thou  sentest  to  me 
for :  and  I  will  do  all  thy  desire  concerning  timber  of  cedar, 
and  concerning  timber  of  fir.  My  servants  shall  bring  them 
down  from  Lebanon  unto  the  sea :  and  I  will  convey  them  by 
sea  in  floats  unto  the  place  that  thou  shalt  appoint  me,  and 
will  cause  them  to  be  discharged  there,  and  thou  shalt  receive 
them :  and  thou  shalt  accomplish  my  desire,  in  giving  food 
for  my  household."  So  Hiram  gave  Solomon  cedar  trees  and. 

214 


THE  STORY  OF  KING  SOLOMON 

fir  trees  according  to  all  his  desire.  And  Solomon  gave 
Hiram  twenty  thousand  measures  of  wheat  for  food  to  his 
household,  and  twenty  measm-es  of  pure  oil :  thus  gave  Solo- 
mon to  Hiram  year  by  year.  And  the  Lord  gave  Solomon 
wisdom,  as  he  promised  him :  and  there  was  peace  between 
Hiram  and  Solomon;  and  they  two  made  a  league  together. 

And  king  Solomon  raised  a  levy  out  of  all  Israel;  and 
the  levy  was  thirty  thousand  men.  And  he  sent  them  to 
Lebanon,  ten  thousand  a  month  by  courses :  a  month  they 
were  in  Lebanon,  and  two  months  at  home :  and  Adoniram 
was  over  the  levy.  And  Solomon  had  threescore  and  ten 
thousand  that  bare  burdens,  and  fourscore  thousand  hewers 
in  the  mountains;  beside  the  chief  of  Solomon's  officers 
which  were  over  the  work,  three  thousand  and  three  hun- 
dred, which  ruled  over  the  people  that  wrought  in  the  work. 

And  the  king  commanded,  and  they  brought  great  stones, 
costly  stones,  and  hew^ed  stones,  to  lay  the  foundation  of  the 
house.  And  Solomon's  builders  and  Hiram's  builders  did 
hew  them,  and  the  stonesquarers :  so  they  prepared  timber 
and  stones  to  build  the  house. 

And  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  Solomon,  saying, 
"  Concerning  this  house  which  thou  art  in  building,  if  thou 
wilt  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  execute  my  judgments,  and 
keep  all  my  commandments  to  walk  in  them;  then  will  I 
perform  my  word  with  thee,  which  I  spake  unto  David  thy 
father :  and  I  will  dwell  among  the  children  of  Israel,  and 

215 


ISRAEL   UNDER   THE   KINGS 

will  not  forsake  my  people  Israel."  So  Solomon  built  the 
house,  and  finished  it.  And  he  built  the  walls  of  the  house 
within  with  boards  of  cedar,  both  the  floor  of  the  house,  and 
the  walls  of  the  ceiling:  and  he  covered  them  on  the  inside 
with  wood,  and  covered  the  floor  of  the  house  with  planks  of 
fir.  And  he  built  twenty  cubits  on  the  sides  of  the  house,  both 
the  floor  and  the  walls  with  boards  of  cedar :  he  even  built 
them  for  it  within,  even  for  the  oracle,  even  for  the  most 
holy  place.  And  the  house,  that  is,  the  temple  before  it,  was 
forty  cubits  long.  And  the  cedar  of  the  house  within  was 
carved  Avith  knops  and  open  flowers:  all  was  cedar;  there 
was  no  stone  seen.  And  the  oracle  he  prepared  in  the  house 
within,  to  set  there  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord, 
And  the  oracle  in  the  forepart  was  twenty  cubits  in  length, 
and  twenty  cubits  in  breadth,  and  twenty  cubits  in  the  height 
thereof:  and  he  overlaid  it  with  pure  gold;  and  so  covered 
the  altar  which  was  of  cedar.  So  Solomon  overlaid  the  house 
within  with  pure  gold :  and  he  made  a  partition  by  the  chains 
of  gold  before  the  oracle ;  and  he  overlaid  it  with  gold.  And 
the  whole  house  he  overlaid  with  gold,  until  he  had  finished 
all  the  house :  also  the  whole  altar  that  was  by  the  oracle  he 
overlaid  with  gold.  And  within  the  oracle  he  made  two 
cherubims  of  olive  tree,  each  ten  cubits  high.  And  five 
cubits  was  the  one  wing  of  the  cherub,  and  five  cubits  the 
other  wing  of  the  cherub:  from  the  uttermost  part  of  the 
one  wing  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the  other  were  ten  cubits. 

216 


THE  STORY  OF  KING  SOLOMON 

And  the  other  cherub  was  ten  cubits:  both  the  cherubims 
were  of  one  measure  and  one  size.  The  height  of  the  one 
cherub  was  ten  cubits,  and  so  was  it  of  the  other  cherub. 
And  he  set  the  cherubims  within  the  inner  house :  and  they 
stretched  forth  the  wings  of  the  cherubims,  so  that  the  wing 
of  the  one  touched  the  one  wall,  and  the  wing  of  the  other 
cherub  touched  the  other  wall ;  and  their  wings  touched  one 
another  in  the  midst  of  the  house.  And  he  overlaid  the  cher- 
ubims with  gold.  And  he  carved  all  the  walls  of  the  house 
round  about  with  carved  figures  of  cherubims  and  palm 
trees  and  open  flowers,  within  and  without.  And  the  floor 
of  the  house  he  overlaid  with  gold,  within  and  without. 
And  for  the  entering  of  the  oracle  he  made  doors  of  olive 
tree:  the  lintel  and  side  posts  were  a  fifth  part  of  the  wall. 
The  two  doors  also  were  of  olive  tree ;  and  he  carved  upon 
them  carvings  of  cherubims  and  palm  trees  and  open  flowers, 
and  overlaid  them  Avith  gold,  and  spread  gold  upon  the 
cherubims,  and  upon  the  palm  trees.  So  also  made  he  for 
the  door  of  the  temple  posts  of  olive  tree,  a  fourth  part  of 
the  wall.  And  the  two  doors  were  of  fir  tree :  the  two  leaves 
of  the  one  door  were  folding,  and  the  two  leaves  of  the 
other  door  were  folding.  And  he  carved  thereon  cherubims 
and  palm  trees  and  open  flowers :  and  covered  them  with  gold 
fitted  upon  the  carved  work.  And  he  built  the  inner  court 
with  three  rows  of  hewed  stone,  and  a  row  of  cedar  beams.  In 
the  fourth  year  was  the  foundation  of  the  house  of  the  Lord 

217 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

laid,  in  the  month  Zif:  and  in  the  eleventh  year,  in  the 
month  Bui,  which  is  the  eighth  month,  was  the  house  finished 
throughout  all  the  parts  thereof,  and  according  to  all  the 
fashion  of  it.  So  was  he  seven  years  in  building  it. 


4.     THE  QUEEN  OF  SHEBA  VISITS  SOLOMON 

And  when  the  queen  of  Sheba  heard  of  the  fame  of  Solo- 
mon concerning  the  name  of  the  Lord,  she  came  to  prove 
him  with  hard  questions.  And  she  came  to  Jerusalem  with 
a  very  great  train,  with  camels  that  bare  spices,  and  very 
much  gold,  and  precious  stones :  and  when  she  was  come  to 
Solomon,  she  communed  with  him  of  all  that  was  in  her 
heart.  And  Solomon  told  her  all  her  questions:  there  was 
not  anything  hid  from  the  king,  which  he  told  her  not. 
And  when  the  queen  of  Sheba  had  seen  all  Solomon's  wis- 
dom, and  the  house  that  he  had  built,  and  the  meat  of  his 
table,  and  the  sitting  of  his  servants,  and  the  attendance  of 
his  ministers,  and  their  apparel,  and  his  cupbearers,  and  his 
ascent  by  which  he  went  up  unto  the  house  of  the  Lord; 
there  was  no  more  spirit  in  her.  And  she  said  to  the 
king : 

"  It  was  a  true  report  that  I  heard  in  mine  own  land  of 
thy  acts  and  of  thy  wisdom.  Howbeit  I  believed  not  the 
words,  until  I  came,  and  mine  eyes  had  seen  it:  and,  behold, 
the  half  was  not  told  me :  thy  wisdom  and  prosj^erity  ex- 

218 


THE  STORY  OF  KING  SOLOMON 

ceedeth  the  fame  which  I  heard.  Happy  are  thy  men,  happy 
are  these  thy  servants,  which  stand  continually  before  thee, 
and  that  hear  thy  wisdom.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  thy  God, 
which  delighted  in  thee,  to  set  thee  on  the  throne  of  Israel : 
because  the  Lord  loved  Israel  for  ever,  therefore  made  he 
thee  king,  to  do  judgment  and  justice."  And  she  gave  the 
king  an  hundred  and  twenty  talents  of  gold,  and  of  spices 
very  great  store,  and  precious  stones:  there  came  no  more 
such  abundance  of  spices  as  these  which  the  queen  of  Sheba 
gave  to  king  Solomon.  And  the  navy  also  of  Hiram,  that 
brought  gold  from  Ophir,  brought  in  from  Ophir  great 
plenty  of  almug  trees,  and  precious  stones.  And  the  king 
made  of  the  almug  trees  pillars  for  the  house  of  the  Lord, 
and  for  the  king's  house,  harps  also  and  psalteries  for  sing- 
ers :  there  came  no  such  almug  trees,  nor  were  seen  imto 
this  day.  And  king  Solomon  gave  unto  the  queen  of  Sheba 
all  her  desire,  whatsoever  she  asked,  beside  that  which 
Solomon  gave  her  of  his  royal  bounty.  So  she  turned  and 
went  to  her  own  country,  she  and  her  servants. 

5.    SOME  OP  THE  PROVERBS  OF  SOLOMON 

The  tongue  of  the  just  is  as  choice  silver:  the  heart  of  the 
wicked  is  little  worth. 

The  blessing  of  the  Lord,  it  maketh  rich,  and  he  addeth 
no  sorrow  with  it. 

219 


ISRAEL   UNDER  THE  KINGS 

A  righteous  man  regardeth  the  life  of  his  beast :  but  the 
tender  mercies  of  the  wicked  are  cruel. 

He  that  despiseth  his  neighbour  sinneth :  but  he  that  hath 
mercy  on  the  poor,  happy  is  he. 

In  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  strong  confidence :  and  his  chil- 
dren shall  have  a  place  of  refuge. 

All  the  days  of  the  afflicted  are  evil :  but  he  that  is  of  a 
merry  heart  hath  a  continual  feast. 

Better  is  little  with  the  fear  of  the  Lord  than  great  trea- 
sure and  trouble  therewith. 

A  soft  answer  turneth  away  wTath:  but  grievous  words 
stir  up  anger. 

Pride  goeth  before  destruction,  and  an  haughty  spirit  be- 
fore a  fall. 

When  a  man's  ways  please  the  Lord,  he  maketh  even  his 
enemies  to  be  at  peace  with  him. 

Pleasant  words  are  as  an  honeycomb,  sweet  to  the  soul, 
and  health  to  the  bones. 

He  that  is  slow  to  anger  is  better  than  the  mighty;  and  he 
that  ruleth  his  spirit  than  he  that  taketh  a  city. 

A  friend  loveth  at  all  times,  and  a  brother  is  born  for  ad- 
versity. 

He  that  answereth  a  matter  before  he  heareth  it,  it  is  folly 
and  shame  unto  him. 

A  man  that  hath  friends  must  shew  himself  friendly:  and 
there  is  a  friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a  brother. 

220 


THE  STORY  OF  KING  SOLOMON 

He  that  hath  pity  upon  the  poor  lendeth  unto  the  Lord; 
and  that  which  he  hath  given  will  he  pay  him  again. 

Even  a  child  is  known  by  his  doings,  whether  his  work 
be  pure,  and  whether  it  be  right. 

Whoso  stoppeth  his  ears  at  the  cry  of  the  poor,  he  also 
shall  cry  himself,  but  shall  not  be  heard. 

"Whoso  keepeth  his  mouth  and  his  tongue  keepeth  his 
soul  from  troubles. 

He  that  oppresseth  the  poor  to  increase  his  riches,  and  he 
that  giveth  to  the  rich,  shall  surely  come  to  want. 

Seest  thou  a  man  diligent  in  his  business?  he  shall  stand 
before  kings;  he  shall  not  stand  before  mean  men. 

Rejoice  not  when  thine  enemy  falleth,  and  let  not  thine 
heart  be  glad  when  he  stumbleth : 

Say  not,  I  will  do  so  to  him  as  he  hath  done  to  me :  I  will 
render  to  the  man  according  to  his  work. 

He  that  hath  no  rule  over  his  own  spirit  is  like  a  city  that 
is  broken  down,  and  without  walls. 

If  thine  enemy  be  hungry,  give  him  bread  to  eat;  and  if 
he  be  thirsty,  give  him  water  to  drink: 

For  thou  shalt  heap  coals  of  fire  upon  his  head,  and  the 
Lord  shall  reward  thee. 

Whoso  diggeth  a  pit  shall  fall  therein :  and  he  that  rolleth 
a  stone,  it  will  return  upon  him. 

Boast  not  thyself  of  to-morrow;  for  thou  knowest  not  what 
a  day  may  bring  forth. 

221 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

Let  another  man  praise  thee,  and  not  thine  own  mouth;  a 
stranger,  and  not  thine  own  Hps. 

Thine  own  friend,  and  thy  father's  friend,  forsake  not; 
neither  go  into  thy  brother's  house  in  the  day  of  thy  calam- 
ity ;  for  better  is  a  neighbour  that  is  near  than  a  brother  far 
off. 

The  wicked  flee  when  no  man  pursueth :  but  the  righteous 
are  bold  as  a  lion. 


ELIJAH,  THE  PROPHET  OF  GOD 

1.     ELIJAH  AND  THE  PRIESTS  OF  BAAL 

Ahab  the  son  of  Omri  reigned  over  Israel  in  Samaria 
twenty  and  two  years.  And  Ahab  the  son  of  Omri  did  evil 
in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  above  all  that  were  before  him. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  that  he  took  to  wife  Jezebel  the  daugh- 
ter of  Ethbaal  king  of  the  Zidonians,  and  went  and  served 
Baal,  and  worshi23ped  him.  And  he  reared  up  an  altar  for 
Baal  in  the  house  of  Baal,  which  he  had  built  in  Samaria. 
And  Ahab  did  more  to  provoke  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  to 
anger  than  all  the  kings  of  Israel  that  were  before  him. 

And  Elijah  the  Tishbite,  who  was  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Gilead,  said  unto  Ahab,  "  As  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  liveth, 
before  whom  I  stand,  there  shall  not  be  dew  nor  rain  these 
years,  but  according  to  my  word."  And  it  came  to  pass 
after  many  days,  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  Elijah 
in  the  third  year,  saying,  "Go,  shew  thyself  unto  Ahab; 
and  I  will  send  rain  upon  the  earth."  And  Elijah  went  to 
shew  himself  unto  Ahab.  And  there  was  a  sore  famine  in 
Samaria.  And  Ahab  called  Obadiah,  which  was  the  gover- 
nor of  his  house.  (IS'ow  Obadiah  feared  the  Lord  greatly.) 
And  Ahab  said  unto  Obadiah,  "  Go  into  the  land,  unto  all 
fountains  of  water,  and  unto  all  brooks:  peradventure  we 

223 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

may  find  grass  to  save  the  horses  and  mules  ahve,  that  we 
lose  not  all  the  beasts."  So  they  divided  the  land  between 
them  to  pass  throughout  it :  Ahab  went  one  way  by  himself, 
and  Obadiah  went  another  way  by  himself. 

And  as  Obadiah  was  in  the  way,  behold,  Elijah  met  him: 
and  he  knew  him,  and  fell  on  his  face,  and  said: 

"Art  thou  that  my  lord  Elijah?"  And  he  answered  him: 

"I  am:  go,  tell  thy  lord.  Behold,  Elijah  is  here."  And  he 
said: 

"  What  have  I  sinned,  that  thou  wouldest  deliver  thy  ser- 
vant into  the  hand  of  Ahab,  to  slay  me?  As  the  Lord  thy 
God  liveth,  there  is  no  nation  or  kingdom,  whither  my  lord 
hath  not  sent  to  seek  thee:  and  when  they  said,  He  is  not 
there;  he  took  an  oath  of  the  kingdom  and  nation,  that  they 
found  thee  not.  And  now  thou  sayest,  Go,  tell  thy  lord, 
Behold,  Elijah  is  here.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  as  soon 
as  I  am  gone  from  thee,  that  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  shall 
carry  thee  whither  I  know  not ;  and  so  when  I  come  and  tell 
Ahab,  and  he  cannot  find  thee,  he  shall  slay  me :  but  I  thy 
servant  fear  the  Lord  from  my  youth.  Was  it  not  told  my 
lord  what  I  did  when  Jezebel  slew  the  prophets  of  the  Lord, 
how  I  hid  an  hundred  men  of  the  Lord's  prophets  by  fifty 
in  a  cave,  and  fed  them  with  bread  and  water?  And  now 
thou  sayest.  Go,  tell  thy  lord.  Behold,  Elijah  is  here:  and 
he  shall  slay  me."  And  Elijah  said : 

"As  the  Lord  of  hosts  liveth,  before  whom  I  stand,  I  will 

224 


ELIJAH,  THE   PROPHET   OF   GOD 

surely  shew  myself  unto  him  to-day."  So  Obadiah  went  to 
meet  Ahab,  and  told  him:  and  Ahab  went  to  meet  Elijah. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Ahab  saw  Elijah,  that  Ahab 
said  unto  him : 

"Art  thou  he  that  troubleth  Israel?"  And  he  answered: 

"  I  have  not  troubled  Israel ;  but  thou,  and  thy  father's 
house,  in  that  ye  have  forsaken  the  commandments  of  the 
Lord,  and  thou  hast  followed  Baalim.  Now  therefore  send, 
and  gather  to  me  all  Israel  unto  mount  Carmel,  and  the 
prophets  of  Baal  four  hundred  and  fifty,  and  the  proph- 
ets of  the  groves  four  hundred,  which  eat  at  Jezebel's 
table." 

So  Ahab  sent  unto  all  the  children  of  Israel,  and  gathered 
the  prophets  together  unto  mount  Carmel.  And  Elijah  came 
unto  all  the  people,  and  said: 

"  How  long  halt  ye  between  two  opinions?  if  the  Lord  be 
God,  follow  him:  but  if  Baal,  then  follow  him."  And  the 
people  answered  him  not  a  word.  Then  said  Elijah  unto 
the  people : 

"  I,  even  I  only,  remain  a  prophet  of  the  Lord;  but  Baal's 
prophets  are  four  hundred  and  fifty  men.  Let  them  there- 
fore give  us  two  bullocks;  and  let  them  choose  one  bullock 
for  themselves,  and  cut  it  in  pieces,  and  lay  it  on  wood, 
and  put  no  fire  under:  and  I  will  dress  the  other  bullock, 
and  lay  it  on  wood,  and  put  no  fire  under:  and  call  ye  on 
the  name  of  your  gods,  and  I  will  call  on  the  name  of  the 

225 


ISRAEL   UNDER   THE   KINGS 

Lord :  and  the  God  that  answereth  by  fire,  let  hhn  be  God." 
And  all  the  people  answered  and  said: 

"  It  is  well  spoken." 

And  Elijah  said  unto  the  prophets  of  Baal,  "  Choose  you 
one  bullock  for  yourselves,  and  dress  it  first;  for  ye  are 
many;  and  call  on  the  name  of  your  gods,  but  put  no  fire 
under."  And  they  took  the  bullock  which  was  given  them, 
and  they  dressed  it,  and  called  on  the  name  of  Baal  from 
morning  even  until  noon,  saying,  "  O  Baal,  hear  us."  But 
there  was  no  voice,  nor  any  that  answered.  And  they  leaped 
upon  the  altar  which  was  made.  And  it  came  to  pass  at 
noon,  that  Elijah  mocked  them,  and  said,  "Cry  aloud:  for 
he  is  a  god;  either  he  is  talking,  or  he  is  pursuing,  or  he  is 
in  a  journey,  or  peradventure  he  sleepeth,  and  must  be 
awaked."  And  they  cried  aloud,  and  cut  themselves  after 
their  manner  with  knives  and  lancets,  till  the  blood  gushed 
out  upon  them. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  midday  was  past,  and  they 
prophesied  until  the  time  of  the  offering  of  the  evening 
sacrifice,  that  there  was  neither  voice,  nor  any  to  answer, 
nor  any  that  regarded.  And  Ehjah  said  unto  all  the  people, 
"  Come  near  unto  me."  And  all  the  peoj^le  came  near  unto 
him.  And  he  repaired  the  altar  of  the  Lord  that  was  broken 
down.  And  Elijah  took  twelve  stones,  according  to  the 
number  of  the  tribes  of  the  sons  of  Jacob,  unto  whom 
the  word  of  the  Lord  came,  saying,  Israel  shall  be  thy  name : 

226 


ELIJAH,  THE  PROPHET  OF  GOD 

and  with  the  stones  he  built  an  altar  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord:  and  he  made  a  trench  about  the  altar,  as  great  as 
would  contain  two  measures  of  seed.  And  he  put  the  wood  in 
order,  and  cut  the  bullock  in  pieces,  and  laid  him  on  the  wood, 
and  said,  "  Fill  four  barrels  with  water,  and  pour  it  on  the 
burnt  sacrifice,  and  on  the  wood."  And  he  said,  "Do  it 
the  second  time."  And  they  did  it  the  second  time.  And  he 
said,  "  Do  it  the  third  time."  And  they  did  it  the  third  time. 
And  the  water  ran  round  about  the  altar;  and  he  filled  the 
trench  also  with  water.  And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  time  of 
the  offering  of  the  evening  sacrifice,  that  Elijah  the  prophet 
came  near,  and  said,  "  Lord  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  of 
Israel,  let  it  be  known  this  day  that  thou  art  God  in  Israel, 
and  that  I  am  thy  servant,  and  that  I  have  done  all  these 
things  at  thy  word.  Hear  me,  O  Lord,  hear  me,  that  this 
people  may  know  that  thou  art  the  Lord  God,  and  that  thou 
hast  turned  their  heart  back  again." 

Then  the  fire  of  the  Lord  fell,  and  consumed  the  burnt 
sacrifice,  and  the  wood,  and  the  stones,  and  the  dust,  and 
licked  up  the  water  that  was  in  the  trench.  And  when  all  the 
people  saw  it,  they  fell  on  their  faces :  and  they  said : 

"  The  Lord,  he  is  the  God;  the  Lord,  he  is  the  God."  And 
Elijah  said  unto  them : 

"  Take  the  prophets  of  Baal ;  let  not  one  of  them  escape." 
And  they  took  them :  and  Elijah  brought  them  down  to  the 
brook  Kishon,  and  slew  them  there. 

227 


ISRAEL   UNDER   THE   KINGS 

And  Elijah  said  unto  Ahab,  "Get  thee  up,  eat  and  drink; 
for  there  is  a  sound  of  abundance  of  rain."  So  Ahab  went  up 
to  eat  and  to  drink.  And  Elijah  went  up  to  the  top  of  Carmel ; 
and  he  cast  himself  down  upon  the  earth,  and  put  his  face 
between  his  knees,  and  said  to  his  servant: 

"Go  up  now,  look  toward  the  sea."  And  he  went  up,  and 
looked,  and  said: 

"There  is  nothing."  And  he  said: 

"Go  again  seven  times."  And  it  came  to  pass  at  the 
seventh  time,  that  he  said: 

"Behold,  there  ariseth  a  little  cloud  out  of  the  sea,  like  a 
man's  hand."  And  he  said: 

"  Go  up,  say  unto  Ahab,  Prepare  thy  chariot,  and  get  thee 
down,  that  the  rain  stop  thee  not."  And  it  came  to  pass  in 
the  mean  while,  that  the  heaven  was  black  with  clouds  and 
wind,  and  there  was  a  great  rain.  And  Ahab  rode,  and  went 
to  Jezreel.  And  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  on  Elijah;  and  he 
girded  up  his  loins,  and  ran  before  Ahab  to  the  entrance  of 
Jezreel. 

2.     ELIJAH  IN  THE  DESERT 

And  Ahab  told  Jezebel  all  that  Elijah  had  done,  and  withal 
how  he  had  slain  all  the  j)rophets  with  the  sword.  Then  Jez- 
ebel sent  a  messenger  unto  Elijah,  saying,  "So  let  the  gods 
do  to  me,  and  more  also,  if  I  make  not  thy  life  as  the  life 
of  one  of  them  by  to-morrow  about  this  time."  And  when 

228 


ELIJAH,  THE  PROPHET  OF  GOD 

he  saw  that,  he  arose,  and  went  for  his  life,  and  came  to 
Beer-sheba,  which  belongeth  to  Jiidah,  and  left  his  servant 
there.  But  he  himself  went  a  day's  journey  into  the  wilder- 
ness, and  came  and  sat  do^vn  under  a  juniper  tree :  and  he 
requested  for  himself  that  he  might  die;  and  said,  "It  is 
enough ;  now,  O  Lord,  take  away  my  life ;  for  I  am  not  better 
than  my  fathers."  And  as  he  lay  and  slept  under  a  juniper 
tree,  behold,  then  an  angel  touched  him,  and  said  unto  him, 
"  Arise  and  eat."  And  he  looked,  and,  behold,  there  was  a 
cake  baken  on  the  coals,  and  a  cruse  of  water  at  his  head.  And 
he  did  eat  and  drink,  and  laid  him  down  again.  And  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  came  again  the  second  time,  and  touched  him, 
and  said,  "  Arise  and  eat ;  because  the  journey  is  too  great 
for  thee."  And  he  arose,  and  did  eat  and  drink,  and  went  in 
the  strength  of  that  meat  forty  days  and  forty  nights  mito 
Horeb  the  mount  of  God. 

And  he  came  thither  unto  a  cave,  and  lodged  there;  and, 
behold,  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  him,  and  he  said  unto 
him: 

"What  doest  thou  here,  Elijah?  "  and  he  said: 

"  I  have  been  very  jealous  for  the  Lord  God  of  hosts :  for 
the  children  of  Israel  have  forsaken  thy  covenant,  thrown 
down  thine  altars,  and  slain  thy  prophets  with  the  sword; 
and  I,  even  I  only,  am  left;  and  they  seek  my  hfe,  to  take  it 
away."  And  he  said: 

"  Go  forth,  and  stand  upon  the  mount  before  the  Lord." 

229 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

And,  behold,  the  Lord  passed  by,  and  a  great  and  strong 
wind  rent  the  mountains,  and  brake  in  pieces  the  rocks  be- 
fore the  Lord;  but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  wind:  and  after 
the  wind  an  earthquake ;  but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  earth- 
quake :  and  after  the  earthquake  a  fire ;  but  the  Lord  was  not 
in  tlie  fire :  and  after  the  fire  a  still  small  voice.  And  it  was 
so,  when  Elijah  heard  it,  that  he  wrapped  his  face  in  his 
mantle,  and  went  out,  and  stood  in  the  entering  in  of  the 
cave.  And,  behold,  there  came  a  voice  unto  him,  and  said : 

"What  doest  thou  here,  Elijah?"  And  he  said: 

"I  have  been  very  jealous  for  the  Lord  God  of  hosts: 
because  the  children  of  Israel  have  forsaken  thy  covenant, 
thrown  down  thine  altars,  and  slain  thy  prophets  with  the 
sword ;  and  I,  even  I  only,  am  left ;  and  they  seek  my  life,  to 
take  it  away."  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him : 

"  Go,  return  on  thy  way  to  the  wilderness  of  Damascus : 
and  when  thou  comest,  anoint  Llazael  to  be  king  over  Syria : 
and  Jehu  the  son  of  Nimshi  shalt  thou  anoint  to  be  king  over 
Israel :  and  Elisha  the  son  of  Shaj^hat  shalt  thou  anoint  to  be 
prophet  in  thy  room.  And  it  shall  come  to  jjass,  that  him  that 
escapeth  the  sword  of  Hazael  shall  Jehu  slay :  and  him  that 
escapeth  from  the  sword  of  Jehu  shall  Elisha  slay.  Yet  I 
have  left  me  seven  thousand  in  Israel,  all  the  knees  which 
have  not  bowed  unto  Baal,  and  every  mouth  which  hath  not 
kissed  him." 

So  he  departed  thence,  and  found  Elisha  the  son  of  Sha- 

230 


ELIJAH,  THE  PROPHET  OF  GOD 

phat,  who  was  plowing  with  twelve  yoke  of  oxen  before  him, 
and  he  with  the  twelfth :  and  Elijah  passed  by  him,  and  cast 
his  mantle  upon  him.  And  he  left  the  oxen,  and  ran  after 
Elijah,  and  said: 

"  Let  me,  I  pray  thee,  kiss  my  father  and  my  mother,  and 
then  I  will  follow  thee."  And  he  said  unto  him : 

"  Go  back  again :  for  what  have  I  done  to  thee?  "  Ajid  he 
returned  back  from  him,  and  took  a  yoke  of  oxen,  and  slew 
them,  and  boiled  their  flesh  with  the  instruments  of  the  oxen, 
and  gave  unto  the  people,  and  they  did  eat.  Then  he  arose, 
and  went  after  Elijah,  and  ministered  unto  him. 

3.    ELIJAH  RAISES  THE  WIDOW'S  SON 

And  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  him,  saying,  "  Get 
thee  hence,  and  turn  thee  eastward,  and  hide  thyself  by  the 
brook  Cherith,  that  is  before  Jordan.  And  it  shall  be,  that 
thou  shalt  drink  of  the  brook;  and  I  have  commanded  the 
ravens  to  feed  thee  there."  So  he  went  and  did  according 
unto  the  word  of  the  Lord:  for  he  went  and  dwelt  by  the 
brook  Cherith,  that  is  before  Jordan.  And  the  ravens 
brought  him  bread  and  flesh  in  the  morning,  and  bread  and 
flesh  in  the  evening;  and  he  drank  of  the  brook.  And  it 
came  to  pass  after  a  while,  that  the  brook  dried  up,  because 
there  had  been  no  rain  in  the  land. 

And  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  him,  saying,  "  Arise, 

231 


ISRAEL   UNDER  THE  KINGS 

get  thee  to  Zarephath,  which  belongeth  to  Zidoii,  and  dwell 
there :  behold,  I  have  commanded  a  widow  woman  there  to 
sustain  thee."  So  he  arose  and  went  to  Zarephath.  And 
when  he  came  to  the  gate  of  the  city,  behold,  the  widow 
woman  was  there  gathering  of  sticks :  and  he  called  to  her, 
and  said: 

"  Fetch  me,  I  pray  thee,  a  little  water  in  a  vessel,  that  I  may 
drink."  And  as  she  was  going  to  fetch  it,  he  called  to  her, 
and  said,  "  Bring  me,  I  pray  thee,  a  morsel  of  bread  in  thine 
hand."  And  she  said: 

"  As  the  Lord  thy  God  liveth,  I  have  not  a  cake,  but  an 
handful  of  meal  in  a  barrel,  and  a  little  oil  in  a  cruse :  and, 
behold,  I  am  gathering  two  sticks,  that  I  may  go  in  and 
dress  it  for  me  and  my  son,  that  we  may  eat  it,  and  die." 
And  Elijah  said  unto  her: 

"Fear  not;  go  and  do  as  thou  hast  said:  but  make  me 
thereof  a  little  cake  first,  and  bring  it  unto  me,  and  after 
make  for  thee  and  for  thy  son.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  God 
of  Israel,  The  barrel  of  meal  shall  not  waste,  neither  shall 
the  cruse  of  oil  fail,  mitil  the  day  that  the  Lord  sendeth 
rain  upon  the  earth."  Ajid  she  went  and  did  according  to 
the  saying  of  Elijah:  and  she,  and  he,  and  her  house,  did  eat 
many  days.  And  the  barrel  of  meal  wasted  not,  neither  did 
the  cruse  of  oil  fail,  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
which  he  spake  by  Elijah. 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  these  things,  that  the  son  of 

232 


ELIJAH,  THE  PROPHET  OF  GOD 

the  woman,  the  mistress  of  the  house,  fell  sick;  and  his  sick- 
ness was  so  sore,  that  there  was  no  breath  left  in  him.  And 
she  said  unto  Elijah: 

"  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee,  O  thou  man  of  God?  art 
thou  come  unto  me  to  call  my  sin  to  remembrance,  and  to 
slay  my  son?  "  And  he  said  unto  her : 

"  Give  me  thy  son."  And  he  took  him  out  of  her  bosom, 
and  carried  him  up  into  a  loft,  where  he  abode,  and  laid  him 
upon  his  own  bed.  And  he  cried  unto  the  Lord,  and  said, 
"O  Lord  my  God,  hast  thou  also  brought  evil  upon  the 
widow  with  whom  I  sojourn,  by  slaying  her  son?  "  And 
he  stretched  himself  upon  the  child  three  times,  and  cried 
unto  the  Lord,  and  said,  "  O  Lord  my  God,  I  pray  thee,  let 
this  child's  soul  come  into  him  again."  And  the  Lord  heard 
the  voice  of  Elijah;  and  the  soul  of  the  child  came  into 
him  again,  and  he  revived.  And  Elijah  took  the  child, 
and  brought  him  down  out  of  the  chamber  into  the  house,  and 
delivered  him  unto  his  mother :  and  Elijah  said : 

"  See,  thy  son  liveth."  And  the  woman  said  to  Elijah : 

"  Now  by  this  I  know  that  thou  art  a  man  of  God,  and 
that  the  word  of  the  Lord  in  thy  mouth  is  truth." 

4.    NABOTH'S  VINEYARD 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  these  things,  that  Naboth  the 
Jezreehte  had  a  vineyard,  which  was  in  Jezreel,  hard  by  the 

233 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

palace  of  Ahab  king  of  Samaria.  And  Ahab  spake  unto 
Naboth,  saying: 

"  Give  me  thy  vineyard,  that  I  may  have  it  for  a  garden 
of  herbs,  because  it  is  near  imto  my  house :  and  I  will  give 
thee  for  it  a  better  vineyard  than  it;  or,  if  it  seem  good  to 
thee,  I  will  give  thee  the  worth  of  it  in  money."  And  Naboth 
said  to  Ahab : 

"  The  Lord  forbid  it  me,  that  I  should  give  the  inheritance 
of  my  fathers  unto  thee."  And  Ahab  came  into  his  house 
heavy  and  displeased  because  of  the  word  which  Naboth  the 
Jezreelite  had  spoken  to  him :  for  he  had  said,  "  I  will  not 
give  thee  the  inheritance  of  my  fathers."  And  he  laid  him 
down  upon  his  bed,  and  turned  away  his  face,  and  would 
eat  no  bread.  But  Jezebel  his  wife  came  to  him,  and  said 
unto  him: 

*'"Why  is  thy  spirit  so  sad,  that  thou  eatest  no  bread?" 
And  he  said  unto  her : 

"  Because  I  spake  unto  !Naboth  the  Jezreelite,  and  said 
unto  him.  Give  me  thy  vineyard  for  money;  or  else,  if  it 
please  thee,  I  will  give  thee  another  vineyard  for  it:  and  he 
answered,  I  will  not  give  thee  my  vineyard."  Aaid  Jezebel 
his  wife  said  unto  him : 

"  Dost  thou  now  govern  the  kingdom  of  Israel?  arise,  and 
eat  bread,  and  let  thine  heart  be  merry:  I  will  give  thee 
the  vineyard  of  l^aboth  the  Jezreelite."  So  she  wrote  letters 
in  Ahab's  name,  and  sealed  them  with  his  seal,  and  sent  the 

234 


ELIJAH,  THE  PROPHET   OF  GOD 

letters  unto  the  elders  and  to  the  nobles  that  were  in  his  city, 
dwelling  with  !N"aboth.  And  she  wrote  in  the  letters,  saying, 
"  Proclaim  a  fast,  and  set  IN'aboth  on  high  among  the  people : 
and  set  two  men,  sons  of  Belial,  before  him,  to  bear  witness 
against  him,  saying.  Thou  didst  blaspheme  God  and  the 
king.  And  then  carry  him  out,  and  stone  him,  that  he  may 
die." 

And  the  men  of  his  city,  even  the  elders  and  the  nobles 
who  were  the  inhabitants  in  his  city,  did  as  Jezebel  had  sent 
unto  them,  and  as  it  was  written  in  the  letters  which  she  had 
sent  unto  them.  They  proclaimed  a  fast,  and  set  Naboth  on 
high  among  the  people.  And  there  came  in  two  men,  chil- 
dren of  Belial,  and  sat  before  him ;  and  the  men  of  Belial 
witnessed  against  him,  even  against  Naboth,  in  the  presence 
of  the  people,  saying,  "  Naboth  did  blaspheme  God  and  the 
king."  Then  they  carried  him  forth  out  of  the  city,  and 
stoned  him  with  stones,  that  he  died.  Then  they  sent  to  Jeze- 
bel, saying,  "  Naboth  is  stoned,  and  is  dead." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Jezebel  heard  that  ^aboth  was 
stoned,  and  was  dead,  that  Jezebel  said  to  Ahab,  "  Arise, 
take  possession  of  the  vineyard  of  Naboth  the  Jezreelite, 
which  he  refused  to  give  thee  for  money :  for  Naboth  is  not 
alive,  but  dead." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Ahab  heard  that  Kaboth  was 
dead,  that  Ahab  rose  up  to  go  down  to  the  vineyard  of  'Na- 
both  the  Jezreelite,  to  take  possession  of  it.  And  the  word 

235 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

of  the  Lord  came  to  Elijah  the  Tishbite,  saying,  ^^  Arise,  go 
down  to  meet  Ahab  king  of  Israel,  which  is  in  Samaria:  be- 
hold, he  is  in  the  vineyard  of  Naboth,  whither  he  is  gone 
down  to  possess  it.  And  thou  shalt  speak  unto  him,  saying. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Hast  thou  killed,  and  also  taken  pos- 
session? And  thou  shalt  speak  unto  him,  saying,  Thus  saith 
the  Lord,  In  the  place  where  dogs  licked  the  blood  of  Na- 
both shall  dogs  lick  thy  blood,  even  thine."  And  Ahab  said 
to  Elijah : 

"Hast  thou  found  me,  O  mine  enemy?"  And  he  an- 
swered : 

"  I  have  found  thee :  because  thou  hast  sold  thyself  to 
work  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  Behold,  I  will  bring  evil 
upon  thee,  and  will  take  away  thy  posterity,  for  the  provo- 
cation wherewith  thou  hast  provoked  me  to  anger,  and 
made  Israel  to  sin."  And  of  Jezebel  also  spake  the  Lord, 
saying,  "  The  dogs  shall  eat  Jezebel  by  the  wall  of  Jezreel. 
Him  that  dieth  of  Ahab  in  the  city  the  dogs  shall  eat;  and 
him  that  dieth  in  the  field  shall  the  fowls  of  the  air  eat." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Ahab  heard  those  words,  that 
he  rent  his  clothes,  and  put  sackcloth  upon  his  flesh,  and 
fasted,  and  lay  in  sackcloth,  and  went  softly.  And  the  word 
of  the  Lord  came  to  Elijah  the  Tishbite,  saying,  "Seestthou 
how  Ahab  humbleth  himself  before  me?  because  he  humbleth 
himself  before  me,  I  will  not  bring  the  evil  in  his  days :  but 
in  his  son's  days  will  I  bring  the  evil  upon  this  house." 

236 


ELIJAH,  THE  PROPHET  OF   GOD 

5.     ELIJAH  ASCENDS  TO  HEAVEN 

.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  Lord  would  take  up  EHjah 
mto  heaven  by  a  whirlwind,  that  Elijah  went  with  Elisha 
from  Gilgal.  Aoid  Elijah  said  unto  Elisha : 

"  Tarry  here,  I  pray  thee ;  for  the  Lord  hath  sent  me  to 
Beth-el."  Ajid  Elisha  said  unto  him : 

"  As  the  Lord  liveth,  and  as  thy  soul  liveth,  I  will  not 
leave  thee."  So  they  went  down  to  Beth-el.  And  the  sons  of 
the  prophets  that  were  at  Beth-el  came  forth  to  Elisha,  and 
said  unto  him: 

"  Knowest  thou  that  the  Lord  will  take  away  thy  master 
from  thy  head  to-day?"  And  he  said: 

"Yea,  I  know  it;  hold  ye  your  peace."  And  Elijah  said 
unto  him: 

"  Elisha,  tarry  here,  I  pray  thee ;  for  the  Lord  hath  sent 
me  to  Jericho."  And  he  said: 

"As  the  Lord  liveth,  and  as  thy  soul  liveth,  I  will  not  leave 
thee."  So  they  came  to  Jericho.  And  the  sons  of  the  prophets 
that  were  at  Jericho  came  to  Elisha,  and  said  unto  him: 

"  Knowest  thou  that  the  Lord  will  take  away  thy  master 
from  thy  head  to-day?"  And  he  answered: 

"Yea,  I  know  it;  hold  ye  yom*  peace."  And  Elijah  said 
unto  him: 

"  Tarry,  I  pray  thee,  here;  for  the  Lord  hath  sent  me  to 
Jordan."  And  he  said: 

237 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

"  As  the  Lord  liveth,  and  as  thy  soul  liveth,  I  will  not  leave 
thee."  And  they  two  went  on.  And  fifty  men  of  the  sons  of 
the  prophets  went,  and  stood  to  view  afar  off :  and  they  two 
stood  by  Jordan.  And  Elijah  took  his  mantle,  and  wrapped 
it  together,  and  smote  the  waters,  and  they  were  divided 
hither  and  thither,  so  that  they  two  went  over  on  dry  ground. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  when  they  were  gone  over,  that  Elijah 
said  unto  Elisha: 

"  Ask  what  I  shall  do  for  thee,  before  I  be  taken  away 
from  thee."  And  Elisha  said : 

"  I  pray  thee,  let  a  double  portion  of  thy  spirit  be  uj)on  me." 
And  he  said : 

"  Thou  hast  asked  a  hard  thing :  nevertheless,  if  thou  see 
me  when  I  am  taken  from  thee,  it  shall  be  so  unto  theej  but 
if  not,  it  shall  not  be  so." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  still  went  on,  and  talked,  that, 
behold,  there  appeared  a  chariot  of  fire,  and  horses  of  fire, 
and  parted  them  both  asunder;  and  Elijah  went  up  by  a  whirl- 
wind into  heaven.  And  Elisha  saw  it,  and  he  cried,  "My 
father,  my  father,  the  chariot  of  Israel,  and  the  horsemen 
thereof."  And  he  saw  him  no  more :  and  he  took  hold  of  his 
own  clothes,  and  rent  them  in  two  pieces.  He  took  up  also 
the  mantle  of  Elijah  that  fell  from  him,  and  went  back,  and 
stood  by  the  bank  of  Jordan;  and  he  took  the  mantle  of 
Elijah  that  fell  from  him,  and  smote  the  waters,  and  said, 
"  Where  is  the  Lord  God  of  Elijah?"  and  when  he  also  had 

238 


ELIJAH,  THE  PROPHET  OF  GOD 

smitten  the  waters,  they  parted  hither  and  thither ;  and  Elisha 
went  over.  And  when  the  sons  of  the  prophets  which  were 
to  view  at  Jericho  saw  him,  they  said,  "  The  spirit  of  Elijah 
doth  rest  on  Elisha."  And  they  came  to  meet  him,  and  bowed 
themselves  to  the  ground  before  him. 


ELISHA,   THE   SUCCESSOR  OF  ELIJAH 

1.    ELISHA  PAYS  A  POOR  WOMAN'S  DEBT 

Kow  there  cried  a  certain  woman  of  the  wives  of  the  sons  of 
the  projDhets  unto  EHsha,  saying: 

"  Thy  servant  my  husband  is  dead ;  and  thou  knowest  that 
thy  servant  did  fear  the  Lord :  and  the  creditor  is  come  to 
take  unto  him  my  two  sons  to  be  bondmen."  And  Elisha  said 
unto  her: 

"  What  shall  I  do  for  thee?  tell  me?  what  hast  thou  in  the 
house?"  And  she  said: 

"  Thine  handmaid  hath  not  any  thing  in  the  house,  save  a 
pot  of  oil."  Then  he  said : 

"  Go,  borrow  thee  vessels  abroad  of  all  thy  neighbours, 
even  empty  vessels;  borrow  not  a  few.  And  when  thou  art 
come  in,  thou  shalt  shut  the  door  upon  thee  and  upon  thy 
sons,  and  shalt  pour  out  into  all  those  vessels,  and  thou  shalt 
set  aside  that  which  is  full."  So  she  went  from  him,  and  shut 
the  door  upon  her  and  upon  her  sons,  who  brought  the  ves- 
sels to  her;  and  she  poured  out.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when 
the  vessels  were  full,  that  she  said  unto  her  son : 

"  Bring  me  yet  a  vessel."  And  he  said  unto  her : 

"  There  is  not  a  vessel  more."  And  the  oil  stayed.  Then 
she  came  and  told  the  man  of  God.  And  he  said : 

240 


ELISHA,  THE  SUCCESSOR  OF  ELIJAH 

"  Go,  sell  the  oil,  and  pay  thy  debt,  and  live  thou  and  thy 
children  of  the  rest." 


2.    THE   SHIJNMIMITE'S  SON 

It  fell  on  a  day,  that  Elisha  passed  to  Shunem,  where  was 
a  great  woman;  and  she  constrained  him  to  eat  bread.  And 
so  it  was,  that  as  oft  as  he  passed  by,  he  turned  in  thither  to 
eat  bread.  And  she  said  unto  her  husband,  "  Behold  now,  I 
perceive  that  this  is  an  holy  man  of  God,  which  passeth  by 
us  continually.  Let  us  make  a  little  chamber,  I  pray  thee,  on 
the  wall;  and  let  us  set  for  him  there  a  bed,  and  a  table,  and 
a  stool,  and  a  candlestick :  and  it  shall  be,  when  he  cometh 
to  us,  that  he  shall  turn  in  thither."  And  it  fell  on  a  day,  that 
he  came  thither,  and  he  turned  into  the  chamber,  and  lay 
there.  And  he  said  to  Gehazi  his  servant: 

"  Call  this  Shunammite."  And  when  he  had  called  her,  she 
stood  before  him.  And  he  said  unto  him : 

"  Say  now  unto  her,  Behold,  thou  hast  been  careful  for  us 
with  all  this  care;  what  is  to  be  done  for  thee?  wouldest  thou 
be  spoken  for  to  the  king,  or  to  the  captain  of  the  host?"  And 
she  answered : 

"  I  dwell  among  mine  own  people."  And  he  said : 
"  What  then  is  to  be  done  for  her  ?  "  And  Gehazi  answered : 
"  Yerily  she  hath  no  child,  and  her  husband  is  old."  And 
he  said: 

241 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

"  Call  her."  And  when  he  had  called  her,  she  stood  m  the 
door.  And  he  said : 

"  About  this  season,  according  to  the  time  of  life,  thou  shalt 
embrace  a  son."  And  she  said : 

"  Nay,  my  lord,  thou  man  of  God,  do  not  lie  unto  thine 
handmaid."  And  the  woman  bare  a  son  at  that  season  that 
Elisha  had  said  unto  her,  according  to  the  time  of  life. 

And  when  the  child  was  grown,  it  fell  on  a  day,  that 
he  went  out  to  his  father  to  the  reapers.  And  he  said  unto 
his  father,  "My  head,  my  head."  And  he  said  to  a  lad, 
"  Carry  him  to  his  mother."  And  when  he  had  taken  him, 
and  brought  him  to  his  mother,  he  sat  on  her  knees  till 
noon,  and  then  died.  And  she  went  up,  and  laid  him  on  the 
bed  of  the  man  of  God,  and  shut  the  door  upon  him,  and 
went  out.    And  she  called  unto  her  husband,  and  said : 

"  Send  me,  I  pray  thee,  one  of  the  young  men,  and  one  of 
the  asses,  that  I  may  run  to  the  man  of  God,  and  come  again." 
And  he  said : 

"  Wherefore  wilt  thou  go  to  him  to-day?  it  is  neither  new 
moon,  nor  sabbath."  And  she  said: 

"  It  shall  be  well."  Then  she  saddled  an  ass,  and  said  to 
her  servant,  "  Drive,  and  go  forward ;  slack  not  thy  riding 
for  me,  except  I  bid  thee."  So  she  went  and  came  unto  the 
man  of  God  to  mount  Carmel.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when 
the  man  of  God  saw  her  afar  off,  that  he  said  to  Gehazi  his 
servant : 

242 


ELISHA,  THE  SUCCESSOR  OF  ELIJAH 

"  Behold,  yonder  is  that  Shunammite.  Run  now,  I  pray 
thee,  to  meet  her,  and  say  unto  her,  Is  it  well  with  thee?  is 
it  well  with  thy  husband?  is  it  well  with  the  child?  "  And  she 
answered : 

"  It  is  well."  And  when  she  came  to  the  man  of  God  to  the 
hill,  she  caught  him  by  the  feet :  but  Gehazi  came  near  to 
thrust  her  away.  And  the  man  of  God  said : 

"  Let  her  alone ;  for  her  soul  is  vexed  within  her :  and  the 
Lord  hath  hid  it  from  me,  and  hath  not  told  me."  Then  she 
said: 

"  Did  I  desire  a  son  of  my  lord?  did  I  not  say.  Do  not 
deceive  me?"  Then  he  said  to  Gehazi: 

"  Gird  up  thy  loins,  and  take  my  staff  in  thine  hand,  and 
go  thy  way:  if  thou  meet  any  man,  salute  him  not;  and  if 
any  salute  thee,  answer  him  not  again :  and  lay  my  staff  upon 
the  face  of  the  child."  And  the  mother  of  the  child  said : 

"  As  the  Lord  liveth,  and  as  thy  soul  liveth,  I  will  not  leave 
thee."  And  he  arose,  and  followed  her. 

And  Gehazi  passed  on  before  them,  and  laid  the  staff  upon 
the  face  of  the  child;  but  there  was  neither  voice,  nor  hear- 
ing. Wherefore  he  went  again  to  meet  him,  and  told  him, 
saying,  "  The  child  is  not  awaked."  And  when  Elisha  was 
come  into  the  house,  behold,  the  child  was  dead,  and  laid 
upon  his  bed.  He  went  in  therefore,  and  shut  the  door  upon 
them  twain,  and  prayed  unto  the  Lord.  And  he  went  up,  and 
lay  upon  the  child,  and  put  his  mouth  upon  his  mouth,  and 

243 


ISRAEL   UNDER   THE   KINGS 

his  eyes  upon  his  eyes,  and  his  hands  upon  his  hands:  and 
he  stretched  himself  upon  the  child;  and  the  flesh  of  the 
child  waxed  warm.  Then  he  returned,  and  walked  in  the 
house  to  and  fro;  and  went  up,  and  stretched  himself  upon 
him :  and  the  child  sneezed  seven  times,  and  the  child  opened 
his  eyes.  And  he  called  Gehazi,  and  said,  "  Call  this  Shunam- 
mite."  So  he  called  her.  And  when  she  was  come  in  unto 
him,  he  said,  "  Take  up  thy  son."  Then  she  went  in,  and  fell 
at  his  feet,  and  bowed  herself  to  the  ground,  and  took  up 
her  son,  and  went  out. 

3.     THE  CURE  OF  NAAMAN  THE  LEPER 

N'ow  Kaaman,  captain  of  the  host  of  the  king  of  Syria, 
was  a  great  man  with  his  master,  and  honourable,  because  by 
him  the  Lord  had  given  deliverance  unto  Syria:  he  was  also 
a  mighty  man  in  valour,  but  he  was  a  le]3er.  And  the  Syrians 
had  gone  out  by  companies,  and  had  brought  away  captive 
out  of  the  land  of  Israel  a  little  maid;  and  she  waited  on 
Naaman's  wife.  And  she  said  unto  her  mistress : 

"  "Would  God  my  lord  were  with  the  prophet  that  is  in 
Samaria!  for  he  would  recover  him  of  his  leprosy."  And 
one  went  in,  and  told  his  lord,  saying: 

"  Thus  and  thus  said  the  maid  that  is  of  the  land  of  Israel." 
And  the  king  of  Syria  said: 

"  Go  to,  go,  and  I  will  send  a  letter  unto  the  king  of 

244 


o 

m 

9-. 


X 


O 

H 

C5 

l-H 

o 

H 
m 
W 

W 

m 


EUSHA,  THE   SUCCESSOR  OF  ELIJAH 

Israel."  And  he  departed,  and  took  with  him  ten  talents  of 
silver,  and  six  thousand  pieces  of  gold,  and  ten  changes 
of  raiment.  And  he  brought  the  letter  to  the  king  of  Israel, 
saying : 

"  Xow  when  this  letter  is  come  unto  thee,  behold,  I  have 
therewith  sent  ^aaman  my  servant  to  thee,  that  thou  mayest 
recover  him  of  his  leprosy."  Aaid  it  came  to  pass,  when  the 
king  of  Israel  had  read  the  letter,  that  he  rent  his  clothes, 
and  said,  "  Am  I  God,  to  kill  and  to  make  ahve,  that  this  man 
doth  send  unto  me  to  recover  a  man  of  his  leprosy?  where- 
fore consider,  I  pray  you,  and  see  how  he  seeketh  a  quarrel 
against  me." 

And  it  was  so,  when  Elisha  the  man  of  God  had  heard 
that  the  king  of  Israel  had  rent  his  clothes,  that  he  sent  to 
the  king,  saying,  "  Wherefore  hast  thou  rent  thy  clothes?  let 
him  come  now  to  me,  and  he  shall  know  that  there  is  a 
prophet  in  Israel."  So  ^aaman  came  with  his  horses  and  with 
his  chariot,  and  stood  at  the  door  of  the  house  of  Elisha. 
And  Elisha  sent  a  messenger  unto  him,  saying: 

"  Go  and  wash  in  Jordan  seven  times,  and  thy  flesh  shall 
come  again  to  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  clean."  But  Naaman 
was  wroth,  and  went  away,  and  said: 

"  Behold,  I  thought.  He  will  surely  come  out  to  me,  and 
stand,  and  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  his  God,  and  strike 
his  hand  over  the  place,  and  recover  the  leper.  Are  not 
Abana  and  Pharpar,  rivers  of  Damascus,  better  than  all  the 

245 


ISRAEL   UNDER   THE  KINGS 

waters  of  Israel?  may  I  not  wash  in  them,  and  be  clean?" 
So  he  turned  and  went  away  in  a  rage.  And  his  servants 
came  near,  and  spake  unto  him,  and  said: 

"  My  father,  if  the  prophet  had  bid  thee  do  some  great 
thing,  wouldest  thou  not  have  done  it?  how  much  rather 
then,  when  he  saith  to  thee.  Wash,  and  be  clean?"  Then 
went  he  down,  and  dipped  himself  seven  times  in  Jordan,  ac- 
cording to  the  saying  of  the  man  of  God :  and  his  flesh  came 
again  like  unto  the  flesh  of  a  little  child,  and  he  was  clean. 

And  he  returned  to  the  man  of  God,  he  and  all  his  com- 
pany, and  came,  and  stood  before  him :  and  he  said : 

"  Behold,  now  I  know  that  there  is  no  God  in  all  the  earth, 
but  in  Israel:  now  therefore,  I  pray  thee,  take  a  blessing  of 
thy  servant."  But  he  said : 

"  As  the  Lord  liveth,  before  whom  I  stand,  I  will  receive 
none."  And  he  urged  him  to  take  it;  but  he  refused.  And 
Naaman  said : 

"  Shall  there  not  then,  I  pray  thee,  be  given  to  thy  servant 
two  mules'  burden  of  earth?  for  thy  servant  will  henceforth 
offer  neither  burnt  offering  nor  sacrifice  unto  other  gods, 
but  unto  the  Lord.  In  this  thing  the  Lord  pardon  thy  ser- 
vant, that  when  my  master  goeth  into  the  house  of  Rimmon 
to  worship  there,  and  he  leaneth  on  my  hand,  and  I  bow  my- 
self in  the  house  of  Rimmon:  when  I  bow  down  myself  in 
the  house  of  Rimmon,  the  Lord  pardon  thy  servant  in  this 
thing."  And  he  said  unto  him : 

246 


ELISHA,  THE  SUCCESSOR  OF  ELIJAH 

"  Go  in  peace."  So  he  departed  from  him  a  Httle  way. 

But  Gehazi,  the  servant  of  Elisha  the  man  of  God,  said, 
"  Behold,  my  master  hath  spared  ^aaman  this  Syrian,  in  not 
receiving  at  his  hands  that  which  he  brought:  but,  as  the 
Lord  liveth,  I  will  run  after  him,  and  take  somewhat  of 
him."  So  Gehazi  followed  after  JS^aaman.  And  when  !N^aa- 
man  saw  him  running  after  him,  he  lighted  down  from  the 
chariot  to  meet  him,  and  said: 

"  Is  all  well?"  And  he  said: 

"  All  is  well.  My  master  hath  sent  me,  saying.  Behold, 
even  now  there  be  come  to  me  from  mount  Ephraim  two 
young  men  of  the  sons  of  the  prophets :  give  them,  I  pray 
thee,  a  talent  of  silver,  and  two  changes  of  garments."  And 
Naaman  said : 

"  Be  content,  take  two  talents."  And  he  urged  him,  and 
bound  two  talents  of  silver  in  two  bags,  with  two  changes 
of  garments,  and  laid  them  upon  two  of  his  servants;  and 
they  bare  them  before  him. 

And  when  he  came  to  the  tower,  he  took  them  from  their 
hand,  and  bestowed  them  in  the  house :  and  he  let  the  men 
go,  and  they  departed.  But  he  went  in,  and  stood  before  his 
master.  And  Elisha  said  unto  him : 

"  Whence  comest  thou,  Gehazi?  "  And  he  said : 

"  Thy  servant  went  no  whither."  And  he  said  unto  him : 

"  Went  not  mine  heart  with  thee,  when  the  man  turned 
again  from  his  chariot  to  meet  thee?  Is  it  a  time  to  receive 

247 


ISRAEL  UNDER  THE  KINGS 

money,  and  to  receive  garments,  and  oliveyards,  and  vine- 
yards, and  sheep,  and  oxen,  and  menservants,  and  maidser- 
vants? The  leprosy  therefore  of  Kaaman  shall  cleave  unto 
thee,  and  unto  thy  seed  for  ever."  And  he  went  out  from 
his  presence  a  leper  as  white  as  snow. 


4.    ELISHA  HELPS  A  POOR  WORKMAN 

And  the  sons  of  the  prophets  said  imto  Elisha : 

"Behold  now,  the  place  where  we  dwell  with  thee  is  too 
strait  for  us.  Let  us  go,  we  pray  thee,  unto  Jordan,  and 
take  thence  every  man  a  beam,  and  let  us  make  us  a  place 
there,  where  we  may  dwell."  And  he  answered: 

"  Go  ye."  And  one  said : 

"  Be  content,  I  pray  thee,  and  go  with  thy  servants." 
And  he  answered: 

"  I  will  go."  So  he  went  with  them.  And  when  they  came 
to  Jordan,  they  cut  down  wood.  But  as  one  was  felling  a 
beam,  the  ax  head  fell  into  the  water:  and  he  cried,  and  said: 
.  "  Alas,  master !  for  it  was  borrowed."  And  the  man  of 
God  said: 

"  Where  fell  it?  "  And  he  shewed  him  the  place.  And  he 
cut  down  a  stick,  and  cast  it  in  thither;  and  the  iron  did 
swim.  Therefore  said  he:  "Take  it  up  to  thee."  And  he 
put  out  his  hand,  and  took  it. 


IV 
THE  ISEABLITES  IN  EXILE 


IV.  THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

ESTHER,  THE  SAYIOUR  OF  HER  PEOPLE 

1.     ESTHER  BECOMES  A  QUEEN 

Then  said  the  servants  of  king  Ahasnerus  that  ministered 
unto  him: 

"  Let  there  be  fair  young  virgins  sought  for  the  king : 
and  let  the  king  appoint  officers  in  all  the  provinces  of  his 
kingdom,  that  they  may  gather  together  all  the  fair  young 
virgins  unto  Shushan  the  palace,  and  let  the  maiden  which 
pleaseth  the  king  be  queen."  And  the  thing  pleased  the 
king;  and  he  did  so. 

Kow  in  Shushan  the  palace  there  was  a  certain  Jew,  whose 
name  was  Mordecai,  who  had  been  carried  away  from  Jeru- 
salem with  the  captivity  which  had  been  carried  away  with 
Jeconiah  king  of  Judah,  whom  [N^ebuchadnezzar  the  king  of 
Babylon  had  carried  away.  And  he  brought  up  Hadassah, 
that  is,  Esther,  his  uncle's  daughter:  for  she  had  neither 
father  nor  mother,  and  the  maid  was  fair  and  beautiful; 
whom  Mordecai,  when  her  father  and  mother  were  dead, 
took  for  his  own  daughter.  So  it  came  to  pass,  when  the 
king's  commandment  and  his  decree  was  heard,  and  when 
many  maidens  were  gathered  together  unto  Shushan  the 

251 


THE   ISRAELITES  IN   EXILE 

palace,  that  Esther  was  brought  also  mito  the  kmg's  house, 
and  Mordecai  walked  every  day  before  the  court  of  the 
women's  house,  to  know  how  Esther  did,  and  what  should 
become  of  her. 

And  the  king  loved  Esther  above  all  the  women,  and  she 
obtained  grace  and  favour  in  his  sight  more  than  all  the 
virgins;  so  that  he  set  the  royal  crown  upon  her  head,  and 
made  her  queen.  Then  the  king  made  a  great  feast  unto 
all  his  princes  and  his  servants,  even  Esther's  feast;  and 
he  made  a  release  to  the  provinces,  and  gave  gifts,  accord- 
ing to  the  state  of  the  king.  Esther  had  not  yet  shewed 
her  kindred  nor  her  people ;  as  Mordecai  had  charged  her : 
for  Esther  did  the  commandment  of  Mordecai,  like  as  when 
she  was  brought  up  with  him. 

2.    HAMAN'S  PLOT  AGAINST  THE  JEWS 

In  those  days,  while  Mordecai  sat  in  the  king's  gate,  two 
of  the  king's  chamberlains,  Bigthan  and  Teresh,  of  those 
which  kept  the  door,  were  wroth,  and  sought  to  lay  hand  on 
the  king  Ahasuerus.  And  the  thing  was  known  to  Mordecai, 
who  told  it  unto  Esther  the  queen;  and  Esther  certified 
the  king  thereof  in  Mordecai's  name.  And  when  inquisition 
was  made  of  the  matter,  it  was  found  out;  therefore  they 
were  both  hanged  on  a  tree :  and  it  was  written  in  the  book 
of  the  chronicles  before  the  king. 

252 


ESTHER,  THE  SAVIOUR  OF  HER  PEOPLE 

After  these  things  did  king  Ahasuerus  promote  Hainan 
and  advanced  him,  and  set  his  seat  above  all  the  princes  that 
were  with  him.  And  all  the  king's  servants,  that  were  in  the 
king's  gate,  bowed,  and  reverenced  Haman :  for  the  king  had 
so  commanded  concerning  him.  But  Mordecai  bowed  not, 
nor  did  him  reverence.  Then  the  king's  servants,  which  were 
in  the  king's  gate,  said  unto  Mordecai,  "  Why  transgressest 
thou  the  king's  commandment?"  Now  it  came  to  pass,  when 
they  spake  daily  unto  him,  and  he  hearkened  not  unto  them, 
that  they  told  Haman,  to  see  whether  Mordecai's  matters 
would  stand :  for  he  had  told  them  that  he  was  a  Jew.  And 
when  Haman  saw  that  Mordecai  bowed  not,  nor  did  him  rev- 
erence, then  was  Haman  full  of  wrath.  And  he  thought  scorn 
to  lay  hands  on  Mordecai  alone;  for  they  had  shewed  him 
the  people  of  Mordecai :  wherefore  Haman  sought  to  destroy 
all  the  Jews  that  were  throughout  the  whole  kingdom  of 
Ahasuerus,  even  the  people  of  Mordecai.  Ajid  Haman  said 
unto  king  Ahasuerus : 

"  There  is  a  certain  people  scattered  abroad  and  dispersed 
among  the  people  in  all  the  provinces  of  thy  kingdom;  and 
their  laws  are  diverse  from  all  people;  neither  keep  they 
the  king's  laws :  therefore  it  is  not  for  the  king's  profit  to 
suffer  them.  If  it  please  the  king,  let  it  be  written  that  they 
may  be  destroyed:  and  I  will  pay  ten  thousand  talents  of 
silver  to  the  hands  of  those  that  have  the  charge  of  the  busi- 
ness, to  bring  it  into  the  king's  treasuries."  And  the  king 

253 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

took  his  ring  from  his  hand,  and  gave  it  unto  Haman  the 
Jews'  enemy.  And  the  king  said  unto  Haman : 

"  The  silver  is  given  to  thee,  the  people  also,  to  do  with 
them  as  it  seemeth  good  to  thee." 

Then  were  the  king's  scribes  called  on  the  thirteenth  day 
of  the  first  month,  and  there  was  written  according  to  all  that 
Haman  had  commanded  unto  the  king's  lieutenants,  and  to 
the  governors  that  were  over  every  province  and  to  the  rulers 
of  every  people  of  every  province  according  to  the  writing 
thereof,  and  to  every  people  after  their  language;  in  the 
name  of  king  Ahasuerus  was  it  written,  and  sealed  with 
the  king's  ring.  And  the  letters  were  sent  by  posts  into 
all  the  king's  provinces,  to  destroy,  to  kill,  and  to  cause  to 
perish,  all  Jews,  both  young  and  old,  little  children  and  wo- 
men, in  one  day,  even  upon  the  thirteenth  day  of  the  twelfth 
month,  which  is  the  month  Adar,  and  to  take  the  spoil  of 
them  for  a  prey.  The  copy  of  the  writing  for  a  command- 
ment to  be  given  in  every  province  was  published  unto 
all  people,  that  they  should  be  ready  against  that  day.  The 
posts  went  out,  being  hastened  by  the  king's  commandment, 
and  the  decree  was  given  in  Shushan  the  palace.  And  the 
king  and  Haman  sat  down  to  drink;  but  the  city  Shushan 
was  perplexed. 

When  Mordecai  perceived  all  that  was  done,  Mordecai  rent 
his  clothes,  and  put  on  sackcloth  with  ashes,  and  went  out 
into  the  midst  of  the  city,  and  cried  with  a  loud  and  a  bitter 

254 


ESTHER,  THE  SAVIOUR  OF  HER  PEOPLE 

cry;  and  came  even  before  the  king's  gate:  for  none  might 
enter  into  the  king's  gate  clothed  with  sackcloth.  And  in 
every  province,  whithersoever  the  king's  commandment  and 
his  decree  came,  there  was  great  mom-ning  among  the  Jews, 
and  fasting,  and  weeping,  and  wailing;  and  many  lay  in  sack- 
cloth and  ashes.  So  Esther's  maids  and  her  chamberlains 
came  and  told  it  her.  Then  was  the  queen  exceedingly 
grieved;  and  she  sent  raiment  to  clothe  Mordecai,  and  to 
take  away  his  sackcloth  from  him :  but  he  received  it  not. 
Then  called  Esther  for  Hatach,  one  of  the  king's  chamber- 
lains, whom  he  had  appointed  to  attend  upon  her,  and  gave 
him  a  commandment  to  Mordecai,  to  know  what  it  was,  and 
why  it  was.  So  Hatach  went  forth  to  Mordecai  unto  the 
street  of  the  city,  which  was  before  the  king's  gate.  And 
Mordecai  told  him  of  all  that  had  happened  unto  him,  and  of 
the  sum  of  the  money  that  Haman  had  promised  to  pay 
to  the  king's  treasuries  for  the  Jews,  to  destroy  them.  Also 
he  gave  him  the  copy  of  the  writing  of  the  decree  that  was 
given  at  Shushan  to  destroy  them,  to  shew  it  unto  Esther, 
and  to  declare  it  unto  her,  and  to  charge  her  that  she  should 
go  in  unto  the  king,  to  make  supplication  unto  him,  and  to 
make  request  before  him  for  her  people.  And  Hatach  came 
and  told  Esther  the  words  of  Mordecai. 

Again  Esther  spake  unto  Hatach,  and  gave  him  command- 
ment unto  Mordecai : 

"  All  the  king's  servants,  and  the  people  of  the  king's 

255 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

provinces,  do  know,  that  whosoever,  whether  man  or  woman, 
shall  come  mito  the  king  into  the  mner  court,  who  is  not 
called,  there  is  one  law  of  his  to  put  him  to  death,  except 
such  to  whom  the  king  shall  hold  out  the  golden  sceptre, 
that  he  may  live :  but  I  have  not  been  called  to  come  in 
unto  the  king  these  thirty  days."  And  they  told  to  Morde- 
cai  Esther's  words.  Then  Mordecai  commanded  to  answer 
Esther : 

"  Think  not  with  thyself  that  thou  shalt  escape  in  the 
king's  house,  more  than  all  the  Jews.  For  if  thou  altogether 
boldest  thy  peace  at  this  time,  then  shall  there  enlargement 
and  deliverance  arise  to  the  Jews  from  another  place ;  but 
thou  and  thy  father's  house  shall  be  destroyed:  and  who 
knoweth  whether  thou  art  come  to  the  kingdom  for  such  a 
time  as  this?"  Then  Esther  bade  them  return  Mordecai  this 
answer: 

"  Go,  gather  together  all  the  Jews  that  are  present  in  Shu- 
shan,  and  fast  ye  for  me,  and  neither  eat  nor  drink  three 
days,  night  or  day:  I  also  and  my  maidens  will  fast  likewise; 
and  so  will  I  go  in  unto  the  king,  which  is  not  according  to 
the  law :  and  if  I  perish,  I  perish."  So  Mordecai  went  his  way, 
and  did  according  to  all  that  Esther  had  commanded  him. 

l^ow  it  came  to  pass  on  the  third  day,  that  Esther  put  on 
her  royal  apparel,  and  stood  in  the  inner  court  of  the  king's 
house,  over  against  the  king's  house :  and  the  king  sat  upon 
his  royal  throne  in  the  royal  house,  over  against  the  gate  of 

25G 


ESTHER,  THE  SAVIOUR  OF  HER  PEOPLE 

the  house.  And  it  was  so,  when  the  king  saw  Esther  the 
queen  standing  in  the  court,  that  she  obtained  favour  in  his 
sight :  and  the  king  held  out  to  Esther  the  golden  sceptre  that 
was  in  his  hand.  So  Esther  drew  near,  and  touched  the  top 
of  the  sceptre.  Then  said  the  king  unto  her: 

""What  wilt  thou,  queen  Esther?  and  what  is  thy  request? 
it  shall  be  even  given  thee  to  the  half  of  the  kingdom."  And 
Esther  answered: 

"  If  it  seem  good  unto  the  king,  let  the  king  and  Haman 
come  this  day  unto  the  banquet  that  I  have  prepared  for  him." 
Then  the  king  said: 

"  Cause  Haman  to  make  haste,  that  he  may  do  as  Esther 
hath  said."  So  the  king  and  Haman  came  to  the  banquet  that 
Esther  had  prepared. 

And  the  king  said  unto  Esther  at  the  banquet  of  wine : 

"What  is  thy  petition?  and  it  shall  be  granted  thee:  and 
what  is  thy  request?  even  to  the  half  of  the  kingdom  it  shall 
be  performed."  Then  answered  Esther,  and  said : 

"  My  petition  and  my  request  is :  If  I  have  found  favour 
in  the  sight  of  the  king,  and  if  it  please  the  king  to  grant 
my  petition,  and  to  perform  my  request,  let  the  king  and 
Haman  come  to  the  banquet  that  I  shall  prepare  for  them, 
and  I  will  do  to-morrow  as  the  king  hath  said." 

Then  went  Haman  forth  that  day  joyful  and  with  a  glad 
heart :  but  when  Haman  saw  Mordecai  in  the  king's  gate, 
that  he  stood  not  up,  nor  moved  for  him,  he  was  full  of  in- 

257 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

dignation  against  Mordecai.  Nevertheless  Haman  refrained 
himself:  and  when  he  came  home,  he  sent  and  called  for  his 
friends,  and  Zeresh  his  wife.  And  Haman  told  them  of  the 
glory  of  his  riches,  and  the  multitude  of  his  children,  and  all 
the  things  wherein  the  king  had  promoted  him,  and  how  he 
had  advanced  him  above  the  princes  and  servants  of  the 
king.  Haman  said  moreover,  "Yea,  Esther  the  queen  did  let 
no  man  come  in  with  the  king  unto  the  banquet  that  she  had 
prepared  but  myself;  and  to-morrow  am  I  invited  unto  her 
also  with  the  king.  Yet  all  this  availeth  me  nothing,  so  long 
as  I  see  Mordecai  the  Jew  sitting  at  the  king's  gate."  Then 
said  Zeresh  his  wife  and  all  his  friends  unto  him : 

"Let  a  gallows  be  made  of  fifty  cubits  high,  and  to-mor- 
row speak  thou  unto  the  king  that  Mordecai  may  be  hanged 
thereon:  then  go  thou  in  merrily  with  the  king  unto  the  ban- 
quet." And  the  thing  pleased  Haman;  and  he  caused  the 
gallows  to  be  made. 

On  that  night  could  not  the  king  sleep,  and  he  commanded 
to  bring  the  book  of  records  of  the  chronicles;  and  they  were 
read  before  the  king.  And  it  was  found  written,  that  Mor- 
decai had  told  of  Bigthana  and  Teresh,  two  of  the  king's 
chamberlains,  the  keepers  of  the  door,  who  sought  to  lay 
hand  on  the  king  Ahasuerus.  And  the  king  said: 

"  What  honour  and  dignity  hath  been  done  to  Mordecai 
for  this?"  Then  said  the  king's  servants  that  ministered  unto 
him,  "There  is  nothing  done  for  him."  And  the  king  said: 

258 


ESTHER,  THE  SAVIOUR  OF  HER  PEOPLE 

"  Who  is  in  the  court? "  ]^ow  Haman  was  come  into  the 
outward  court  of  the  king's  house,  to  speak  unto  the  king 
to  hang  Mordecai  on  the  gallows  that  he  had  prepared  for 
him.  And  the  king's  servants  said  unto  him : 

"  Behold,  Haman  standeth  in  the  court."  And  the  king 
said: 

"Let  him  come  in."  So  Haman  came  in.  And  the  king 
said  mito  him : 

"What  shall  be  done  unto  the  man  whom  the  king  de- 
lighteth  to  honour?  "  ^ow  Haman  thought  in  his  heart,  "  To 
whom  would  the  king  delight  to  do  honour  more  than  to 
myself?"  And  Haman  answered  the  king: 

"For  the  man  whom  the  king  delighteth  to  honour,  let  the 
royal  apparel  be  brought  which  the  king  useth  to  wear,  and 
the  horse  that  the  king  rideth  upon,  and  the  crown  royal 
which  is  set  upon  his  head :  and  let  this  apparel  and  horse 
be  delivered  to  the  hand  of  one  of  the  king's  most  noble 
princes,  that  they  may  array  the  man  withal  whom  the  king 
delighteth  to  honour,  and  bring  him  on  horseback  through 
the  street  of  the  city,  and  proclaim  before  him.  Thus  shall 
it  be  done  to  the  man  whom  the  king  delighteth  to  honour." 
Then  the  king  said  to  Haman : 

"Make  haste,  and  take  the  apparel  and  the  horse,  as  thou 
hast  said,  and  do  even  so  to  Mordecai  the  Jew,  that  sitteth 
at  the  king's  gate:  let  nothing  fail  of  all  that  thou  hast 
spoken."  Then  took  Haman  the  apparel  and  the  horse,  and 

259 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

arrayed  Mordecai,  and  brought  him  on  horseback  through 
the  street  of  the  city,  and  proclaimed  before  him,  "  Thus 
shall  it  be  done  unto  the  man  whom  the  king  delighteth  to 
honour." 

And  Mordecai  came  again  to  the  king's  gate.  But  Haman 
hasted  to  his  house  mourning,  and  having  his  head  covered. 
And  Haman  told  Zeresh  his  wife  and  all  his  friends  every- 
thing that  had  befallen  him.  Then  said  his  wise  men  and 
Zeresh  his  wife  unto  him: 

"If  Mordecai  be  of  the  seed  of  the  Jews,  before  whom 
thou  hast  begun  to  fall,  thou  shalt  not  prevail  against  him, 
but  shalt  surely  fall  before  him."  Ajid  while  they  were  yet 
talking  with  him,  came  the  king's  chamberlains,  and  hasted 
to  bring  Haman  unto  the  banquet  that  Esther  had  prepared. 

So  the  king  and  Haman  came  to  banquet  with  Esther  the 
queen.  And  the  king  said  again  unto  Esther  on  the  second 
day  at  the  banquet  of  wine : 

"AVhat  is  thy  petition,  queen  Esther?  and  it  shall  be 
granted  thee:  and  what  is  thy  request?  and  it  shall  be  per- 
formed, even  to  the  half  of  the  kingdom."  Then  Esther  the 
queen  answered  and  said: 

"If  I  have  found  favour  in  thy  sight,  O  king,  and  if  it 
please  the  king,  let  my  life  be  given  me  at  my  petition,  and 
my  people  at  my  request :  for  we  are  sold,  I  and  my  people, 
to  be  destroyed,  to  be  slain,  and  to  perish.  But  if  we  had 
been  sold  for  bondmen  and  bondwomen,  I  had  held  my 

260 


ESTHER,  THE  SAVIOUR   OF  HER  PEOPLE 

tongue,  although  the  enemy  could  not  countervail  the  king's 
damage."  Then  the  king  Ahasuerus  answered  and  said  unto 
Esther  the  queen :  "  Who  is  he,  and  where  is  he,  that  durst 
presume  in  his  heart  to  do  so?"  And  Esther  said: 

"  The  adversary  and  enemy  is  this  wicked  Haman."  Then 
Haman  was  afraid  before  the  king  and  the  queen.  And  the 
king  arising  from  the  banquet  of  wine  in  his  wrath  went 
into  the  palace  garden :  and  Haman  stood  up  to  make  re- 
quest for  his  life  to  Esther  the  queen;  for  he  saw  that  there 
was  evil  determined  against  him  by  the  king.  Then  the  king 
returned  out  of  the  palace  garden  into  the  place  of  the  banquet 
of  wine;  and  Harbonah,  one  of  the  chamberlains,  said  be- 
fore the  king: 

"  Behold  also,  the  gallows  fifty  cubits  high,  which  Haman 
had  made  for  Mordecai,  Avho  had  spoken  good  for  the  king, 
standeth  in  the  house  of  Haman."  Then  the  king  said: 

"  Hang  him  thereon."  So  they  hanged  Haman  on  the  gal- 
lows that  he  had  prepared  for  Mordecai.  Then  was  the 
king's  wrath  pacified. 

On  that  day  did  the  king  Ahasuerus  give  the  house  of 
Haman  the  Jews'  enemy  unto  Esther  the  queen.  And 
Mordecai  came  before  the  king;  for  Esther  had  told  what 
he  was  unto  her.  And  the  king  took  off  his  ring,  which  he 
had  taken  from  Haman,  and  gave  it  unto  Mordecai.  And 
Esther  set  Mordecai  over  the  house  of  Haman. 

And  Esther  spake  yet  again  before  the  king,  and  fell 

261 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILEj 

down  at  his  feet,  and  besought  him  with  tears  to  put  away 
the  mischief  of  Haman  the  Agagite,  and  his  device  that  he 
had  devised  against  the  Jews.  Then  the  king  held  out  the 
golden  sceptre  toward  Esther.  So  Esther  arose,  and  stood 
before  the  king,  and  said: 

"  If  it  please  the  king,  and  if  I  have  found  favour  in  his 
sight,  and  the  thing  seem  right  before  the  king,  and  I  be 
pleasing  in  his  eyes,  let  it  be  written  to  reverse  the  letters 
devised  by  Haman  the  which  he  wrote  to  destroy  the  Jews 
which  are  in  all  the  king's  provinces:  for  how  can  I  endure 
to  see  the  evil  that  shall  come  unto  my  people?  or  how  can 
I  endure  to  see  the  destruction  of  my  kindred?  "  Then  the 
king  Ahasuerus  said  unto  Esther  the  queen  and  to  Mordecai 
the  Jew: 

"  Behold,  I  have  given  Esther  the  house  of  Haman,  and 
him  they  have  hanged  upon  the  gallows,  because  he  laid  his 
hand  upon  the  Jews.  Write  ye  also  for  the  Jew^s,  as  it  lik- 
eth  you,  in  the  king's  name,  and  seal  it  with  the  king's  ring : 
for  the  writing  which  is  written  in  the  king's  name,  and 
sealed  with  the  king's  ring,  may  no  man  reverse."  Then 
were  the  king's  scribes  called  at  that  time  in  the  third 
month,  that  is,  the  month  Sivan,  on  the  three  and  twentieth 
day  thereof;  and  it  was  written  according  to  all  that  Morde- 
cai commanded  unto  the  Jews,  and  to  the  lieutenants,  and 
the  deputies  and  rulers  of  the  provinces  which  are  from 
India  unto  Ethiopia,  an  hundred  twenty  and  seven  pro- 

262 


ESTHER,  THE  SAVIOUR  OF  HER  PEOPLE 

vinces,  unto  every  province  according  to  the  writing  there- 
of, and  unto  every  people  after  their  language,  and  to  the 
Jews  according  to  their  writing,  and  according  to  their  lan- 
guage. 

And  he  wrote  in  the  king  Ahasuerus'  name,  and  sealed  it 
with  the  king's  ring,  and  sent  letters  by  posts  on  horse- 
back, and  riders  on  mules,  camels,  and  young  dromedaries : 
wherein  the  king  granted  the  Jews  which  were  in  every 
city  to  gather  themselves  together,  and  to  stand  for  their  life, 
to  destroy,  to  slay,  and  to  cause  to  perish,  all  the  power  of 
the  people  and  province  that  would  assault  them,  both  little 
ones  and  women,  and  to  take  the  spoil  of  them  for  a  prey, 
upon  one  day  in  all  the  provinces  of  king  Ahasuerus,  namely, 
upon  the  thirteenth  day  of  the  twelfth  month,  which  is  the 
month  Adar.  The  copy  of  the  writing  for  a  commandment 
to  be  given  in  every  province  was  published  unto  all  people, 
and  that  the  Jews  should  be  ready  against  that  day  to 
avenge  themselves  on  their  enemies.  So  the  posts  that  rode 
upon  mules  and  camels  went  out,  being  hastened  and  pressed 
on  by  the  king's  commandment.  And  the  decree  was  given 
at  Shushan  the  palace. 

And  Mordecai  went  out  from  the  presence  of  the  king  in 
royal  apparel  of  blue  and  white,  and  with  a  great  crown  of 
gold,  and  with  a  garment  of  fine  linen  and  purple :  and  the 
city  of  Shushan  rejoiced  and  was  glad.  The  Jews  had 
light,  and  gladness,  and  joy,  and  honour.  And  in  every  pro- 

263 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

vince,  and  in  every  city,  whithersoever  the  king's  command- 
ment and  his  decree  came,  the  Jews  had  joy  and  gladness,  a 
feast  and  a  good  day.  And  many  of  the  people  of  the  land 
became  Jews ;  for  the  fear  of  the  Jews  fell  upon  them. 

Now  in  the  twelfth  month,  that  is,  the  month  Adar,  on 
the  thirteenth  day  of  the  same,  when  the  king's  command- 
ment and  his  decree  drew  near  to  be  put  in  execution,  in 
the  day  that  the  enemies  of  the  Jews  hoped  to  have  power 
over  them,  (though  it  was  turned  to  the  contrary,  that  the 
Jews  had  rule  over  them  that  hated  them;)  the  Jews  gath- 
ered themselves  together  in  their  cities  throughout  all  the 
provinces  of  the  king  Ahasuerus,  to  lay  hand  on  such  as 
sought  their  hurt:  and  no  man  could  withstand  them;  for 
the  fear  of  them  fell  upon  all  peojDle.  Aiid  all  the  rulers 
of  the  provinces,  and  the  lieutenants,  and  the  deputies,  and 
officers  of  the  king,  helped  the  Jews;  because  the  fear  of 
Mordecai  fell  upon  them.  For  Mordecai  was  great  in  the 
king's  house,  and  his  fame  went  out  throughout  all  the  pro- 
vinces :  for  this  man  Mordecai  waxed  greater  and  greater. 
Thus  the  Jews  smote  all  their  enemies  with  the  stroke  of 
the  sword,  and  slaughter,  and  destruction,  and  did  what  they 
would  unto  those  that  hated  them.  Therefore  the  Jews  of 
the  villages,  that  dwelt  in  the  unwalled  towns,  made  the 
fourteenth  day  of  the  month  Adar  a  day  of  gladness  and 
feasting,  and  a  good  day,  and  of  sending  portions  one  to 
another. 

264 


ESTHER,  THE  SAVIOUR  OF  HER  PEOPLE 

And  Mordecai  wrote  these  things,  and  sent  letters  unto 
all  the  Jews  that  were  in  all  the  provinces  of  the  king  Ahas- 
uerus,  both  nigh  and  far,  to  stablish  this  among  them,  that 
they  should  keep  the  fom^teenth  day  of  the  month  Adar, 
and  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  same,  yearly,  as  the  days  wherein 
the  Jews  rested  from  their  enemies,  and  the  month  which 
was  turned  unto  them  from  sorrow  to  joy,  and  from  mourn- 
ing into  a  good  day:  that  they  should  make  them  days  of 
feasting  and  joy,  and  of  sending  portions  one  to  another, 
and  gifts  to  the  poor.  And  the  Jcavs  undertook  to  do  as 
they  had  begun,  and  as  Mordecai  had  written  unto  them ; 
because  Haman,  the  enemy  of  all  the  Jews,  had  devised 
against  the  Jews  to  destroy  them,  and  had  cast  Pur,  that  is, 
the  lot,  to  consume  them,  and  to  destroy  them;  but  when 
Esther  came  before  the  king,  he  commanded  by  letters  that 
his  wicked  device,  which  he  devised  against  the  Jews, 
should  return  upon  his  own  head,  and  that  he  and  his  sons 
should  be  hanged  on  the  gallows.  Wherefore  they  called 
these  days  Purim  after  the  name  of  Pur.  Therefore  for  all 
the  words  of  this  letter,  and  of  that  which  they  had  seen 
concerning  this  matter,  and  which  had  come  unto  them,  the 
Jews  ordained,  and  took  upon  them,  and  upon  their  seed, 
and  upon  all  such  as  joined  themselves  unto  them,  so  as  it 
should  not  fail,  that  they  would  keep  these  two  days  accord- 
ing to  their  writing,  and  according  to  their  appointed  time 
every  year;  and  that  these  days  should  be  remembered  and 

265 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

kept  throughout  every  generation,  every  family,  every  jDro- 
vince,  and  every  city;  and  that  these  days  of  Purim  should 
not  fail  from  among  the  Jews,  nor  the  memorial  of  them 
perish  from  their  seed. 


da:niel,  the  fearless 

1.     THE  KING'S  DREAM 

In  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  Jehoiakim  king  of  Judah 
came  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon  unto  Jerusalem,  and 
besieged  it.  And  the  Lord  gave  Jehoiakim  king  of  Judah 
into  his  hand.  And  the  king  spake  unto  Ashpenaz  the  cham- 
berlain, that  he  should  bring  certain  of  the  children  of  Is- 
rael, and  of  the  king's  seed,  and  of  the  princes;  children  in 
whom  was  no  blemish,  but  well  favoured,  and  skilful  in  all 
wisdom,  and  cunning  in  knowledge,  and  understanding  sci- 
ence, and  such  as  had  ability  in  them  to  stand  in  the  king's 
palace,  and  whom  they  might  teach  the  learning  and  the 
tongue  of  the  Chaldeans.  Now  among  these  were  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Judah,  Daniel,  Hananiah,Mishael,  and  Azariah:  unto 
whom  the  chamberlain  gave  names :  for  he  gave  unto  Daniel 
the  name  of  Belteshazzar;  and  to  Hananiah,  of  Shadrach; 
and  to  Mishael,  of  Meshach;  and  to  Azariah,  of  Abed-nego. 
As  for  these  four  children,  God  gave  them  knowledge 
and  skill  in  all  learning  and  wisdom :  and  Daniel  had  under- 
standing in  all  visions  and  dreams.  And  the  king  communed 
with  them;  and  among  them  all  was  found  none  like  Daniel, 
Hananiah,  Mishael,  and  Azariah:  therefore  stood  they  be- 
fore the  king.  And  in  all  matters  of  wisdom  and  under- 

267 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

standing,  that  the  king  enquired  of  them,  he  found  them 
ten  times  better  than  all  the  magicians  and  astrologers  that 
were  in  all  his  realm.  And  Daniel  continued  even  unto  the 
first  year  of  king  Cyrus. 

And  in  the  second  year  of  the  reign  of  IN^ebuchadnezzar, 
Nebuchadnezzar  dreamed  dreams,  wherewith  his  spirit  was 
troubled,  and  his  sleep  brake  from  him.  Then  the  king 
commanded  to  call  the  magicians,  and  the  astrologers, 
and  the  sorcerers,  and  the  Chaldeans,  for  to  shew  the  king 
his  dreams.  So  they  came  and  stood  before  the  king.  Ajid 
the  king  said  unto  them: 

"  I  have  dreamed  a  dream,  and  my  spirit  was  troubled  to 
know  the  dream."  Then  spake  the  Chaldeans  to  the  king  in 
Syriac : 

"O  king,  live  for  ever:  tell  thy  servants  the  dream,  and 
we  will  shew  the  interpretation."  The  king  answered  and 
said  to  the  Chaldeans: 

"  The  thing  is  gone  from  me :  if  ye  will  not  make  known 
unto  me  the  dream,  with  the  interpretation  thereof,  ye  shall 
be  cut  in  pieces,  and  your  houses  shall  be  made  a  dunghill. 
But  if  ye  shew  the  dream,  and  the  interpretation  thereof,  ye 
shall  receive  of  me  gifts  and  rewards  and  great  honour: 
therefore  shew  me  the  dream,  and  the  interpretation  thereof." 
They  answered  again  and  said: 

"Let  the  king  tell  his  servants  the  dream,  and  we  will 
shew  the  interpretation  of  it."  The  king  answered  and  said: 

268 


DANIEL,  THE  FEARLESS 

"  I  know  of  certainty  that  ye  would  gain  the  time,  be- 
cause ye  see  the  thing  is  gone  from  me.  But  if  ye  will  not 
make  known  unto  me  the  dream,  there  is  but  one  decree  for 
you :  for  ye  have  prepared  lying  and  corrupt  words  to  speak 
before  me,  till  the  time  be  changed:  therefore  tell  me  the 
dream,  and  I  shall  know  that  ye  can  shew  me  the  interpre- 
tation thereof."  The  Chaldeans  answered  before  the  king, 
and  said: 

"  There  is  not  a  man  upon  the  earth  that  can  shew  the 
king's  matter:  therefore  there  is  no  king,  lord,  nor  ruler, 
that  asked  such  things  at  any  magician,  or  astrologer,  or 
Chaldean.  And  it  is  a  rare  thing  that  the  king  requireth, 
and  there  is  none  other  that  can  shew  it  before  the  king,  ex- 
cept the  gods,  whose  dwelling  is  not  with  flesh."  For  this 
cause  the  king  was  angry  and  very  furious,  and  commanded 
to  destroy  all  the  wise  men  of  Babylon. 

And  the  decree  w^ent  forth  that  the  wise  men  should  be 
slain;  and  they  sought  Daniel  and  his  fellows  to  be  slain. 
Then  Daniel  answered  with  counsel  and  wisdom  to  Arioch  the 
captain  of  the  king's  guard,  which  was  gone  forth  to  slay 
the  wise  men  of  Babylon :  he  answered  and  said  to  Arioch 
the  king's  captain: 

"Why  is  the  decree  so  hasty  from  the  king?"  Then 
Arioch  made  the  thing  known  to  Daniel.  Then  Daniel  went 
in,  and  desired  of  the  king  that  he  would  give  him  time,  and 
that  he  would  shew  the  king  the  interpretation.  Then  Daniel 

269 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

went  to  his  house,  and  made  the  thing  known  to  Hananiah, 
Mishael,  and  Azariah,  his  companions :  that  they  would  de- 
sire mercies  of  the  God  of  heaven  concerning  this  secret; 
that  Daniel  and  his  fellows  should  not  perish  with  the  rest 
of  the  wise  men  of  Babylon. 

Then  was  the  secret  revealed  unto  Daniel  in  a  night  vision. 
Then  Daniel  blessed  the  God  of  heaven.  Daniel  answered 
and  said: 

"Blessed  be  the  name  of  God  for  ever  and  ever:  for  wis- 
dom and  might  are  his :  and  he  changeth  the  times  and  the 
seasons :  he  removeth  kings,  and  setteth  up  kings :  he  giveth 
wisdom  unto  the  wise,  and  knowledge  to  them  that  know 
understanding :  he  revealeth  the  deep  and  secret  things :  he 
knoweth  what  is  in  the  darkness,  and  the  light  dwelleth  with 
him.  I  thank  thee,  and  praise  thee,  O  thou  God  of  my 
fathers,  who  hast  given  me  wisdom  and  might,  and  hast 
made  known  unto  me  now  what  we  desired  of  thee:  for  thou 
hast  now  made  known  unto  us  the  king's  matter." 

Therefore  Daniel  went  in  unto  Arioch,  whom  the  king 
had  ordained  to  destroy  the  wise  men  of  Babylon:  he  went 
and  said  thus  unto  him : 

"  Destroy  not  the  wise  men  of  Babylon :  bring  me  in  be- 
fore the  king,  and  I  will  shew  unto  the  king  the  interpreta- 
tion." Then  Arioch  brought  in  Daniel  before  the  king  in 
haste,  and  said  thus  unto  him : 

"  I  have  found  a  man  of  the  captives  of  Judah,  that  will 

270 


DANIEL,  THE  FEARLESS 

make  known  unto  the  king  the  interpretation."  The  king 
answered  and  said  to  Daniel,  whose  name  was  Belteshazzar : 

"  Art  thou  able  to  make  known  unto  me  the  dream  which  I 
have  seen,  and  the  interpretation  thereof?  "  Daniel  answered 
in  the  presence  of  the  king,  and  said : 

"  The  secret  which  the  king  hath  demanded  cannot  the 
wise  men,  the  astrologers,  the  magicians,  the  soothsayers, 
shew  unto  the  king;  but  there  is  a  God  in  heaven  that  reveal- 
eth  secrets,  and  maketh  known  to  the  king  Nebuchadnez- 
zar what  shall  be  in  the  latter  days.  Thy  dream,  and  the 
visions  of  thy  head  upon  thy  bed,  are  these.  As  for  thee,  O 
king,  thy  thoughts  came  into  thy  mind  upon  thy  bed,  what 
should  come  to  pass  hereafter :  and  he  that  revealeth  secrets 
maketh  known  to  thee  what  shall  come  to  pass.  But  as  for 
me,  this  secret  is  not  revealed  to  me  for  any  wisdom  that  I 
have  more  than  any  living,  but  for  their  sakes  that  shall 
make  known  the  interpretation  to  the  king,  and  that  thou 
mightest  know  the  thoughts  of  thy  heart.  Thou,  O  king, 
sawest,  and  behold  a  great  image.  This  great  image,  whose 
brightness  was  excellent,  stood  before  thee;  and  the  form 
thereof  was  terrible.  This  image's  head  was  of  fine  gold, 
his  breast  and  his  arms  of  silver,  his  belly  and  his  thighs 
of  brass,  his  legs  of  iron,  his  feet  part  of  iron  and  part  of 
clay.  Thou  sawest  that  a  stone  was  cut  out  without  hands, 
which  smote  the  image  upon  his  feet  that  were  of  iron  and 
clay,  and  brake  them  to  pieces.  Then  was  the  iron,  the 

271 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

clay,  the  brass,  the  silver,  and  the  gold,  broken  to  pieces  to- 
gether, and  became  like  the  chaff  of  the  summer  threshing- 
floors;  and  the  wind  carried  them  away,  that  no  place  was 
found  for  them :  and  the  stone  that  smote  the  image  became 
a  great  mountain,  and  filled  the  whole  earth.  This  is  the 
dream;  and  we  will  tell  the  interpretation  thereof  before 
the  king.  Thou,  O  king,  art  a  king  of  kings ;  for  the  God  of 
heaven  hath  given  thee  a  kingdom,  power,  and  strength,  and 
glory.  And  wheresoever  the  children  of  men  dwell,  the 
beasts  of  the  field  and  the  fowls  of  the  heaven  hath  he  given 
into  thine  hand,  and  hath  made  thee  ruler  over  them  all. 
Thou  art  this  head  of  gold.  And  after  thee  shall  arise 
another  kingdom  inferior  to  thee,  and  another  third  king- 
dom of  brass,  which  shall  bear  rule  over  all  the  earth.  And 
the  fourth  kingdom  shall  be  strong  as  iron:  forasmuch  as 
iron  breaketh  in  pieces  and  subdueth  all  things :  and  as  iron 
that  breaketh  all  these,  shall  it  break  in  pieces  and  bruise. 
And  whereas  thou  sawest  the  feet  and  toes,  part  of  potters' 
clay,  and  part  of  iron,  the  kingdom  shall  be  divided;  but 
there  shall  be  in  it  of  the  strength  of  the  iron,  forasmuch  as 
thou  sawest  the  iron  mixed  with  miry  clay.  And  as  the  toes 
of  the  feet  were  part  of  iron,  and  part  of  clay,  so  the  king- 
dom shall  be  partly  strong,  and  jDartly  broken.  And  whereas 
thou  sawest  iron  mixed  with  miry  clay,  they  shall  mingle 
themselves  with  the  seed  of  men:  but  they  shall  not  cleave 
one  to  another,  even  as  iron  is  not  mixed  with  clay.  And  in 

272 


DANIEL,  THE  FEARLESS 

the  days  of  these  kmgs  shall  the  God  of  heaven  set  up  a 
kingdom,  which  shall  never  be  destroyed :  and  the  kingdom 
shall  not  be  left  to  other  people,  but  it  shall  break  in  pieces 
and  consume  all  these  kingdoms,  and  it  shall  stand  for  ever. 
Forasmuch  as  thou  sawest  that  the  stone  was  cut  out  of  the 
mountain  without  hands,  and  that  it  brake  in  pieces  the  iron, 
the  brass,  the  clay,  the  silver,  and  the  gold;  the  great  God 
hath  made  known  to  the  king  what  shall  come  to  pass  here- 
after :  and  the  dream  is  certain,  and  the  interpretation  thereof 


sure." 


Then  the  king  Nebuchadnezzar  fell  upon  his  face,  and 
worshipped  Daniel,  and  commanded  that  they  should  offer 
an  oblation  and  sweet  odours  unto  him.  The  king  answered 
tmto  Daniel,  and  said: 

"  Of  a  truth  it  is,  that  your  God  is  a  God  of  gods,  and  a 
Lord  of  kings,  and  a  revealer  of  secrets,  seeing  thou  couldest 
reveal  this  secret."  Then  the  king  made  Daniel  a  great  man, 
and  gave  him  many  great  gifts,  and  made  him  ruler  over  the 
whole  province  of  Babylon,  and  chief  of  the  governors  over 
all  the  wise  men  of  Babylon.  Then  Daniel  requested  of  the 
king,  and  he  set  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego,  over 
the  affairs  of  the  province  of  Babylon :  but  Daniel  sat  in  the 
gate  of  the  Mng. 


273 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

2.     THE  FIERY  FURNACE 

Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  made  an  image  of  gold,  whose 
height  was  threescore  cubits,  and  the  breadth  thereof  six 
cubits :  he  set  it  up  in  the  plain  of  Dura,  in  the  province  of 
Babylon.  Then  ]^ebuchadnezzar  the  king  sent  to  gather  to- 
gether the  princes,  the  governors,  and  the  captains,  the 
judges,  the  treasurers,  the  counsellors,  the  sheriffs,  and  all 
the  rulers  of  the  provinces,  to  come  to  the  dedication  of  the 
image  which  N^ebuchadnezzar  the  king  had  set  up.  Then 
the  princes,  the  governors,  and  captains,  the  judges,  the 
treasurers,  the  counsellors,  the  sheriffs,  and  all  the  rulers  of 
the  provinces,  were  gathered  together  unto  the  dedication 
of  the  image  that  ]^rebuchadnezzar  the  king  had  set  up ;  and 
they  stood  before  the  image  that  ISTebuchadnezzar  had  set 
up.  Then  an  herald  cried  aloud: 

"  To  you  it  is  commanded,  O  people,  nations,  and  lan- 
guages. That  at  what  time  ye  hear  the  sound  of  the  cornet, 
flute,  harp,  sackbut,  psaltery,  dulcimer,  and  all  kinds  of 
music,  ye  fall  down  and  worship  the  golden  image  that 
N^ebuchadnezzar  the  king  hath  set  up:  and  whoso  falleth 
not  down  and  worshippeth  shall  the  same  hour  be  cast  into 
the  midst  of  a  burning  fiery  furnace."  Therefore  at  that 
time,  when  all  the  people  heard  the  sound  of  the  cornet, 
flute,  harp,  sackbut,  psaltery,  and  all  kinds  of  music,  all 
the  people,  the  nations,  and  the  languages,  fell  down  and 

274 


DANIEL,  THE  FEARLESS 

worshipped  the  golden  image  that  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king 
had  set  up. 

Wherefore  at  that  time  certain  Chaldeans  came  near,  and 
accused  the  Jews.  They  spake  and  said  to  the  king  N^ebu- 
chadnezzar : 

"O  king,  Uve  for  ever.  Thou,  O  king,  hast  made  a  de- 
cree, that  every  man  that  shall  hear  the  sound  of  the  cornet, 
flute,  harp,  sackbut,  psaltery,  and  dulcimer,  and  all  kinds  of 
music,  shall  fall  down  and  worship  the  golden  image:  and 
whoso  falleth  not  down  and  worshippeth,  that  he  should  be 
cast  into  the  midst  of  a  burning  fiery  furnace.  There  are 
certain  Jews  whom  thou  hast  set  over  the  affairs  of  the 
province  of  Babylon,  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego; 
these  men,  O  king,  have  not  regarded  thee :  they  serve  not 
thy  gods,  nor  worship  the  golden  image  which  thou  hast  set 
up." 

Then  N'ebuchadnezzar  in  his  rage  and  fury  commanded 
to  bring  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego.  Then  they 
brought  these  men  before  the  king.  Nebuchadnezzar  spake 
and  said  unto  them : 

"  Is  it  true,  O  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego,  do 
not  ye  serve  my  gods,  nor  worship  the  golden  image  which  I 
have  set  up?  Now  if  ye  be  ready  that  at  what  time  ye  hear 
the  sound  of  the  cornet,  flute,  harp,  sackbut,  psaltery,  and 
dulcimer,  and  all  kinds  of  music,  ye  fall  down  and  wor- 
ship the  image  which  I  have  made ;  well :  but  if  ye  worship 

275 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

not,  ye  shall  be  cast  the  same  hour  into  the  midst  of  a  burn- 
ing fiery  furnace;  and  who  is  that  God  that  shall  deliver 
you  out  of  my  hands?  "  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego 
answered  and  said  to  the  king: 

"  O  INTebuchadnezzar,  we  are  not  careful  to  answer  thee  in 
this  matter.  If  it  be  so,  our  God  whom  we  serve  is  able  to 
deliver  us  from  the  burning  fiery  furnace,  and  he  will  de- 
liver us  out  of  thine  hand,  O  king.  But  if  not,  be  it  known 
mito  thee,  O  king,  that  we  will  not  serve  thy  gods,  nor  wor- 
ship the  golden  image  which  thou  hast  set  up." 

Then  was  Kebuchadnezzar  full  of  fury,  and  the  form  of 
his  visage  was  changed  against  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 
Abed-nego:  therefore  he  spake,  and  commanded  that  they 
should  heat  the  furnace  one  seven  times  more  than  it  was 
wont  to  be  heated.  And  he  commanded  the  most  mighty 
men  that  were  in  his  army  to  bind  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 
Abed-nego,  and  to  cast  them  into  the  burning  fiery  fur- 
nace. Then  these  men  were  bound  in  their  coats,  their 
hosen,  and  their  hats,  and  their  other  garments,  and  were 
cast  into  the  midst  of  the  burning  fiery  furnace.  There- 
fore because  the  king's  commandment  was  urgent,  and 
the  furnace  exceeding  hot,  the  flame  of  the  fire  slew  those 
men  that  took  up  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego. 
And  these  three  men,  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego, 
fell  down  bound  into  the  midst  of  the  burning  fiery  fur- 
nace. 

276 


DANIEL,  THE  FEARLESS 

Then  Xebuchadnezzar  the  king  was  astonied,  and  rose  up 
in  haste,  and  spake,  and  said  imto  his  counsellors: 

"  Did  not  we  cast  three  men  bound  into  the  midst  of  the 
fire?"  They  answered  and  said  unto  the  king: 

"True,  O  king."  He  answered  and  said: 

"  Lo,  I  see  four  men  loose,  walking  in  the  midst  of  the 
fire,  and  they  have  no  hurt;  and  the  form  of  the  fourth  is 
like  the  Son  of  God."  Then  ^Nebuchadnezzar  came  near  to 
the  mouth  of  the  burning  fiery  furnace,  and  spake,  and 
said: 

"  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego,  ye  servants  of  the 
most  high  God,  come  forth,  and  come  hither."  Then  Shad- 
rach, Meshach,  and  Abed-nego  came  forth  of  the  midst  of 
the  fire.  And  the  princes,  governors,  and  captains,  and  the 
king's  counsellors,  being  gathered  together,  saw  these  men, 
upon  whose  bodies  the  fire  had  no  power,  nor  was  an  hair 
of  their  head  singed,  neither  were  their  coats  changed,  nor 
the  smell  of  fire  had  passed  on  them.  Then  N^ebuchadnezzar 
spake,  and  said : 

"  Blessed  be  the  God  of  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed- 
nego,  w^ho  hath  sent  his  angel,  and  delivered  his  servants 
that  trusted  in  him,  and  have  changed  the  king's  word,  and 
yielded  their  bodies,  that  they  might  not  serve  nor  worship 
any  god,  except  their  own  God.  Therefore  I  make  a  decree. 
That  every  people,  nation,  and  language,  which  speak  any 
thing  amiss  against  the  God  of  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 

277 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

Abed-nego,  shall  be  cut  in  pieces,  and  their  houses  shall  be 
made  a  dunghill :  because  there  is  no  other  God  that  can  de- 
liver after  this  sort."  Then  the  king  promoted  Shadrach, 
Meshach,  and  Abed-nego,  in  the  province  of  Babylon. 


3.     THE  KING'S  SECOND  DREAM 

"  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king,  unto  all  people,  nations,  and 
languages,  that  dwell  in  all  the  earth;  Peace  be  multiplied 
unto  you.  I  thought  it  good  to  shew  the  signs  and  wonders 
that  the  high  God  had  wrought  toward  me.  How  great  are 
his  signs !  and  how  mighty  are  his  wonders !  his  kingdom  is 
an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  his  dominion  is  from  genera- 
tion to  generation.  I  Nebuchadnezzar  was  at  rest  in  mine 
house,  and  flourishing  in  my  palace :  I  saw  a  dream  which 
made  me  afraid,  and  the  thoughts  upon  my  bed  and  the 
visions  of  my  head  troubled  me.  Therefore  made  I  a  decree 
to  bring  in  all  the  wise  men  of  Babylon  before  me,  that  they 
might  make  known  unto  me  the  interpretation  of  the  dream. 
Then  came  in  the  magicians,  the  astrologers,  the  Chaldeans, 
and  the  soothsayers:  and  I  told  the  dream  before  them;  but 
they  did  not  make  known  unto  me  the  interpretation  thereof. 
But  at  the  last  Daniel  came  in  before  me,  whose  name  was 
Belteshazzar,  according  to  the  name  of  my  god,  and  in 
whom  is  the  spirit  of  the  holy  gods:  and  before  him  I  told 
the  dream,  saying,  O  Belteshazzar,  master  of  the  magicians, 

278 


DANIEL,  THE  FEARLESS 

because  I  know  thiit  Ihe  spirit  of  the  holy  gods  is  in  thee, 
and  no  secret  troubleth  thee,  tell  me  the  visions  of  my  dream 
that  I  have  seen,  and  the  interpretation  thereof.  Thus  were 
the  visions  of  mine  head  in  my  bed;  I  saw,  and  behold  a  tree 
in  the  midst  of  the  earth,  and  the  height  thereof  was  great. 
The  tree  grew,  and  was  strong,  and  the  height  thereof 
reached  unto  heaven,  and  the  sight  thereof  to  the  end  of  all 
the  earth :  the  leaves  thereof  were  fair,  and  the  fruit  there- 
of much,  and  in  it  was  meat  for  all :  the  beasts  of  the  field 
had  shadow  under  it,  and  the  fowls  of  the  heaven  dwelt 
in  the  boughs  thereof,  and  all  flesh  was  fed  of  it.  I  saw  in 
the  visions  of  my  head  upon  my  bed,  and,  behold,  a  watcher 
and  an  holy  one  came  down  from  heaven ;  he  cried  aloud,  and 
said  thus,  Hew  down  the  tree,  and  cut  off  his  branches,  shake 
off  his  leaves,  and  scatter  his  fruit :  let  the  beasts  get  away 
from  under  it,  and  the  fowls  from  his  branches:  neverthe- 
less leave  the  stump  of  his  roots  in  the  earth,  even  with  a 
band  of  iron  and  brass,  in  the  tender  grass  of  the  field;  and 
let  it  be  wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven,  and  let  his  portion 
be  with  the  beasts  in  the  grass  of  the  earth :  let  his  heart  be 
changed  from  man's,  and  let  a  beast's  heart  be  given  unto 
him ;  and  let  seven  times  pass  over  him.  This  matter  is  by 
the  decree  of  the  watchers,  and  the  demand  by  the  word 
of  the  holy  ones:  to  the  intent  that  the  living  may  know  that 
the  most  High  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and  giveth  it 
to  whomsoever  he  will,  and  setteth  up  over  it  the  basest  of 

279 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

men.  This  dream  I  king  N'ebuchadnezzar  have  seen.  N'ow 
thou,  O  Belteshazzar,  declare  the  interpretation  thereof,  for- 
asmuch as  all  the  wise  men  of  my  kingdom  are  not  able  to 
make  known  unto  me  the  interpretation :  but  thou  art  able ; 
for  the  spirit  of  the  holy  gods  is  in  thee." 

Then  Daniel,  whose  name  was  Belteshazzar,  was  astonied 
for  one  hour,  and  his  thoughts  troubled  him.  The  king 
spake,  and  said: 

''  Belteshazzar,  let  not  the  dream,  or  the  interpretation 
thereof,  trouble  thee."   Belteshazzar  answered  and  said: 

"  My  lord,  the  dream  be  to  them  that  hate  thee,  and  the 
interpretation  thereof  to  thine  enemies.  The  tree  that  thou 
sawest,  which  grew,  and  was  strong,  whose  height  reached 
unto  the  heaven,  and  the  sight  thereof  to  all  the  earth; 
whose  leaves  were  fair,  and  the  fruit  thereof  much,  and 
in  it  was  meat  for  all;  under  which  the  beasts  of  the  field 
dwelt,  and  upon  whose  branches  the  fowls  of  the  heaven 
had  their  habitation.  It  is  thou,  O  king,  that  art  grown 
and  become  strong:  for  thy  greatness  is  grown,  and  reach- 
eth  unto  heaven,  and  thy  dominion  to  the  end  of  the  earth. 
And  whereas  the  king  saw  a  watcher  and  an  holy  one  com- 
ing down  from  heaven,  and  saying,  '  Hew  the  tree  down, 
and  destroy  it;  yet  leave  the  stump  of  the  roots  thereof  in 
the  earth,  even  with  a  band  of  iron  and  brass,  in  the  tender 
grass  of  the  field;  and  let  it  be  wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven, 
and  let  his  portion  be  with  the  beasts  of  the  field,  till  seven 

280 


DANIEL,  THE  FEARLESS 

times  pass  over  him';  this  is  the  interpretation,  O  king,  and 
this  is  the  decree  of  the  most  High,  which  is  come  upon  my 
lord  the  king:  that  they  shall  drive  thee  from  men,  and  thy 
dwelling  shall  be  with  the  beasts  of  the  field,  and  they  shall 
make  thee  to  eat  grass  as  oxen,  and  they  shall  wet  thee  with 
the  dew  of  heaven,  and  seven  times  shall  pass  over  thee,  till 
thou  know  that  the  most  High  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of 
men,  and  giveth  it  to  whomsoever  he  will.  And  whereas 
they  commanded  to  leave  the  stump  of  the  tree  roots;  thy 
kingdom  shall  be  sure  unto  thee,  after  that  thou  shalt  have 
known  that  the  heavens  do  rule.  Wherefore,  O  king,  let  my 
counsel  be  acceptable  unto  thee,  and  break  off  thy  sins  by 
righteousness,  and  thine  iniquities  by  shewing  mercy  to  the 
poor;  if  it  may  be  a  lengthening  of  thy  tranquillity." 

All  this  came  upon  the  king  Nebuchadnezzar.  At  the  end 
of  twelve  months  he  walked  in  the  palace  of  the  kingdom  of 
Babylon.  The  king  spake,  and  said: 

"  Is  not  this  great  Babylon,  that  I  have  built  for  the  house 
of  the  kingdom  by  the  might  of  my  power,  and  for  the  hon- 
our of  my  majesty?"  While  the  word  was  in  the  king's 
mouth,  there  fell  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying: 

"  O  king  Nebuchadnezzar,  to  thee  it  is  spoken ;  the  king- 
dom is  departed  from  thee.  And  they  shall  drive  thee  from 
men,  and  thy  dwelhng  shall  be  with  the  beasts  of  the  field: 
they  shall  make  thee  to  eat  grass  as  oxen,  and  seven  times 
shall  pass  over  thee,  until  thou  know  that  the  most  High 

281 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and  giveth  it  to  whomsoever 
he  will." 

The  same  hour  was  the  thing  fulfilled  upon  ]S"ebuchad- 
nezzar:  and  he  was  driven  from  men,  and  did  eat  grass  as 
oxen,  and  his  body  was  wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven,  till  his 
hairs  were  grown  like  eagles'  feathers,  and  his  nails  like 
birds'  claws.  And  at  the  end  of  the  days  I  Nebuchadnezzar 
lifted  up  mine  eyes  unto  heaven,  and  mine  understanding 
returned  unto  me,  and  I  blessed  the  most  High,  and  I  praised 
and  honoured  him  that  liveth  for  ever,  whose  dommion  is  an 
everlasting  dominion,  and  his  kingdom  is  from  generation  to 
generation :  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  are  reputed 
as  nothing:  and  he  doeth  according  to  his  will  in  the  army 
of  heaven,  and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth :  and  none 
can  stay  his  hand,  or  say  unto  him,  What  doest  thou?  At  the 
same  time  my  reason  returned  unto  me;  and  for  the  glory 
of  my  kingdom,  mine  honour  and  brightness  returned  unto 
me ;  and  my  counsellors  and  my  lords  sought  unto  me ;  and 
I  was  established  in  my  kingdom,  and  excellent  majesty  was 
added  unto  me.  Kow  I  Nebuchadnezzar  praise  and  extol 
and  honour  the  King  of  heaven,  all  whose  works  are  truth, 
and  his  ways  judgment:  and  those  that  walk  in  pride  he  is 
able  to  abase. 


282 


DANIEL,  THE  FEARLESS 

4.     BELSHAZZAR'S  FEAST 

Belshazzar  the  king  made  a  great  feast  to  a  thousand  of 
his  lords,  and  drank  wine  before  the  thousand.  Belshazzar, 
whiles  he  tasted  the  wine,  commanded  to  bring  the  golden 
and  silver  vessels  which  his  father  N^ebuchadnezzar  had  taken 
out  of  the  temple  which  was  in  Jerusalem;  that  the  king, 
and  his  princes,  might  drink  therein.  Then  they  brought  the 
golden  vessels  that  were  taken  out  of  the  temple  of  the  house 
of  God  which  was  at  Jerusalem ;  and  the  king,  and  his  princes, 
drank  in  them.  They  drank  wine,  and  praised  the  gods  of 
gold,  and  of  silver,  of  brass,  of  iron,  of  wood,  and  of  stone.  Li 
the  same  hour  came  forth  fingers  of  a  man's  hand,  and  wrote 
over  against  the  candlestick  upon  the  plaster  of  the  wall  of 
the  king's  palace :  and  the  king  saw  the  part  of  the  hand  that 
wrote.  Then  the  king's  countenance  was  changed,  and  his 
thoughts  troubled  him,  so  that  the  joints  of  his  loins  were 
loosed,  and  his  knees  smote  one  against  another.  The  king 
cried  aloud  to  bring  in  the  astrologers,  the  Chaldeans,  and 
the  soothsayers.  And  the  king  spake,  and  said  to  the  wise 
men  of  Babylon: 

"Whosoever  shall  read  this  writing,  and  shew  me  the  in- 
terpretation thereof,  shall  be  clothed  with  scarlet,  and  have 
a  chain  of  gold  about  his  neck,  and  shall  be  the  third  ruler 
in  the  kingdom." 

Then  came  in  all  the  king's  wise  men :  but  they  could  not 

283 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

read  the  writing,  nor  make  known  to  the  king  the  interpre- 
tation thereof.  Then  was  king  Belshazzar  greatly  troubled, 
and  his  countenance  was  changed  in  him,  and  his  lords  were 
astonished. 

l^ow  the  queen  by  reason  of  the  words  of  the  king  and 
his  lords  came  into  the  banquet  house :  and  the  queen  spake 
and  said: 

"  O  king,  live  for  ever :  let  not  thy  thoughts  trouble  thee, 
nor  let  thy  countenance  be  changed.  There  is  a  man  in  thy 
kingdom,  in  whom  is  the  spirit  of  the  holy  gods;  and  in 
the  days  of  thy  father  light  and  understanding  and  wisdom, 
like  the  wisdom  of  the  gods,  was  found  in  him;  whom  the 
king  Nebuchadnezzar  thy  father,  the  king,  I  say,  thy  father, 
made  master  of  the  magicians,  astrologers,  Chaldeans,  and 
soothsayers;  forasmuch  as  an  excellent  spirit,  and  know- 
ledge, and  understanding,  interpreting  of  dreams,  and  shew- 
ing of  hard  sentences,  and  dissolving  of  doubts,  were  found 
in  the  same  Daniel,  whom  the  king  named  Belteshazzar: 
now  let  Daniel  be  called,  and  he  will  shew  the  interpreta- 
tion." 

Then  was  Daniel  brought  in  before  the  king.  And  the 
king  spake  and  said  unto  Daniel: 

"  Art  thou  that  Daniel,  which  art  of  the  children  of  the 
captivity  of  Judah,  whom  the  king  my  father  brought  out  of 
Jewry?  I  have  even  heard  of  thee,  that  the  spirit  of  the  gods 
is  in  thee,  and  that  light  and  understanding  and  excellent 

284 


DANIEL,  THE  FEARLESS 

wisdom  is  found  in  thee.  And  now  the  wise  men,  the  astrolo- 
gers, have  been  brought  in  before  me,  that  they  should  read 
this  writing,  and  make  known  unto  me  the  interpretation 
thereof:  but  they  could  not  shew  the  interpretation  of  the 
thing.  And  I  have  heard  of  thee,  that  thou  canst  make  inter- 
pretations, and  dissolve  doubts:  now  if  thou  canst  read  the 
writing,  and  make  known  to  me  the  interpretation  thereof, 
thou  shalt  be  clothed  with  scarlet,  and  have  a  chain  of  gold 
about  thy  neck,  and  shalt  be  the  third  ruler  in  the  kingdom." 
Then  Daniel  answered  and  said  before  the  king: 

"  Let  thy  gifts  be  to  thyself,  and  give  thy  rewards  to  an- 
other; yet  I  will  read  the  writing  unto  the  king,  and  make 
known  to  him  the  interpretation.  O  thou  king,  the  most  high 
God  gave  J^ebuchadnezzar  thy  father  a  kingdom,  and  maj- 
esty, and  glory,  and  honour:  and  for  the  majesty  that  he 
gave  him,  all  people,  nations,  and  languages,  trembled  and 
feared  before  him:  whom  he  would  he  slew;  and  whom  he 
would  he  kept  alive;  and  whom  he  would  he  set  up;  and 
whom  he  would  he  put  down.  But  when  his  heart  was  lifted 
up,  and  his  mind  hardened  in  pride,  he  was  deposed  from  his 
kingly  throne,  and  they  took  his  glory  from  him ;  and  he  was 
driven  from  the  sons  of  men;  and  his  heart  was  made  like 
the  beasts,  and  his  dwelling  was  with  the  wild  asses :  they 
fed  him  with  grass  like  oxen,  and  his  body  was  wet  with  the 
dew  of  heaven ;  till  he  knew  that  the  most  high  God  ruled  in 
the  kingdom  of  men,  and  that  he  appointeth  over  it  whom- 

285 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

soever  he  will.  And  thou  his  son,  O  Belshazzar,  hast  not 
humbled  thine  heart,  though  thou  knewest  all  this;  but  hast 
lifted  up  thyself  against  the  Lord  of  heaven;  and  they  have 
brought  the  vessels  of  his  house  before  thee,  and  thou,  and 
thy  lords,  and  thy  wives,  have  drunk  wine  in  them;  and 
thou  hast  praised  the  gods  of  silver,  and  gold,  of  brass,  iron, 
wood,  and  stone,  which  see  not,  nor  hear,  nor  know:  and 
the  God  in  whose  hand  thy  breath  is,  and  whose  are  all  thy 
ways,  hast  thou  not  glorified.  Then  was  the  j)art  of  the  hand 
sent  from  him;  and  this  writing  was  written.  And  this  is 
the  writing  that  was  written,  MENE,  MENE,  TEKEL, 
UPHARSIN.  This  is  the  interpretation  of  the  thing; 
MENE;  God  hath  numbered  thy  kingdom,  and  finished  it. 
TEKEL;  Thou  art  weighed  in  the  balances,  and  art  found 
wanting.  PERES;  Thy  kingdom  is  divided,  and  given  to 
the  Medes  and  Persians."  Then  commanded  Belshazzar,  and 
they  clothed  Daniel  with  scarlet,  and  put  a  chain  of  gold 
about  his  neck,  and  made  a  proclamation  concerning  him, 
that  he  should  be  the  third  ruler  in  the  kingdom. 

In  that  night  was  Belshazzar  the  king  of  the  Chaldeans 
slain.  And  Darius  the  Median  took  the  kingdom,  being  about 
threescore  and  two  years  old. 


286 


DANIEL,  THE  FEARLESS 

5.   DANIEL  IN  THE  DEN  OP  LIONS 

It  pleased  Darius  to  set  over  the  kingdom  an  hundred  and 
twenty  princes,  which  should  be  over  the  whole  kingdom; 
and  over  these  three  presidents ;  of  whom  Daniel  was  first : 
that  the  princes  might  give  accounts  unto  them,  and  the  king 
should  have  no  damage.  Then  this  Daniel  was  preferred 
above  the  presidents  and  princes,  because  an  excellent  spirit 
was  in  himj  and  the  king  thought  to  set  him  over  the  whole 
realm. 

Then  the  presidents  and  princes  sought  to  find  occasion 
against  Daniel  concerning  the  kingdom ;  but  they  could  find 
none  occasion  nor  fault ;  forasmuch  as  he  was  faithful,  neither 
was  there  any  error  or  fault  found  in  him.  Then  said  these 
men,  "We  shall  not  find  any  occasion  against  this  Daniel, 
except  we  find  it  against  him  concerning  the  law  of  his  God." 
Then  these  presidents  and  princes  assembled  together  to  the 
king,  and  said  thus  unto  him; 

"King  Darius,  five  for  ever.  All  the  presidents  of  the 
kingdom,  the  governors,  and  the  princes,  the  counsellors,  and 
the  captains,  have  consulted  together  to  establish  a  royal 
statute,  and  to  make  a  firm  decree,  that  whosoever  shall  ask 
a  petition  of  any  God  or  man  for  thirty  days,  save  of  thee, 
O  king,  he  shall  be  cast  into  the  den  of  lions.  IS'ow,  O  king, 
establish  the  decree,  and  sign  the  writing,  that  it  be  not 
changed,  according  to  the  law  of  the  Medes  and  Persians, 

287 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

which  altereth  not."  Wherefore  king  Darius  signed  the 
writing  and  the  decree. 

Now  when  Daniel  knew  that  the  writing  was  signed,  he 
went  into  his  house;  and  his  windows  being  open  in  his 
chamber  toward  Jerusalem,  he  kneeled  wpon  his  knees  three 
times  a  day,  and  prayed,  and  gave  thanks  before  his  God, 
as  he  did  aforetime.  Then  these  men  assembled,  and  found 
Daniel  praying  and  making  supplication  before  his  God. 
Then  they  came  near,  and  spake  before  the  king  concern- 
ing the  king's  decree: 

"  Hast  thou  not  signed  a  decree,  that  every  man  that  shall 
ask  a  petition  of  any  God  or  man  within  thirty  days,  save  of 
thee,  O  king,  shall  be  cast  into  the  den  of  lions  ?  "  The  king 
answered  and  said: 

"  The  thing  is  true,  according  to  the  law  of  the  Medes  and 
Persians,  which  altereth  not."  Then  answered  they  and  said 
before  the  king: 

"  That  Daniel,  which  is  of  the  children  of  the  captivity 
of  Judah,  regardeth  not  thee,  O  king,  nor  the  decree  that 
thou  hast  signed,  but  maketh  his  petition  three  times  a  day." 
Then  the  king,  when  he  heard  these  words,  was  sore  dis- 
pleased with  himself,  and  set  his  heart  on  Daniel  to  deliver 
him :  and  he  laboured  till  the  going  down  of  the  sun  to  de- 
liver him.  Then  these  men  assembled  unto  the  king,  and  said 
unto  the  king: 

"  Know,  O  king,  that  the  law  of  the  Medes  and  Persians 

288 


m 

o 


o 

"A 

H 
P 


DANIEL,  THE  FEARLESS 

is,  That  no  decree  nor  statute  which  the  king  establisheth 
may  be  changed."  Then  the  king  commanded,  and  they 
brought  Daniel,  and  cast  him  into  the  den  of  lions.  ]^ow 
the  king  spake  and  said  unto  Daniel : 

"  Thy  God  whom  thou  servest  continually,  he  will  deliver 
thee."  And  a  stone  was  brought,  and  laid  upon  the  mouth 
of  the  den ;  and  the  king  sealed  it  with  his  own  signet,  and 
with  the  signet  of  his  lords;  that  the  purpose  might  not  be 
changed  concerning  Daniel. 

Then  the  king  went  to  his  palace,  and  passed  the  night 
fasting:  neither  were  instruments  of  music  brought  before 
him :  and  his  sleep  went  from  him.  Then  the  king  arose  very 
early  in  the  morning,  and  went  in  haste  unto  the  den  of  lions. 
And  when  he  came  to  the  den,  he  cried  with  a  lamentable 
voice  unto  Daniel :  and  the  king  spake  and  said  to  Daniel : 

"  O  Daniel,  servant  of  the  living  God,  is  thy  God,  whom 
thou  servest  continually,  able  to  deliver  thee  from  the  lions?  " 
Then  said  Daniel  unto  the  king : 

"  O  king,  live  for  ever.  My  God  hath  sent  his  angel,  and 
hath  shut  the  lions'  mouths,  that  they  have  not  hurt  me :  for- 
asmuch as  before  him  innocency  was  found  in  me;  and  also 
before  thee,  O  king,  have  I  done  no  hurt."  Then  was  the 
king  exceeding  glad  for  him,  and  commanded  that  they 
should  take  Daniel  up  out  of  the  den.  So  Daniel  was  taken 
up  out  of  the  den,  and  no  manner  of  hurt  was  found  upon 
him,  because  he  believed  in  his  God. 

289 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

And  the  king  commanded,  and  they  brought  those  men 
which  had  accused  Daniel,  and  they  cast  them  into  the  den 
of  hons,  them,  their  children,  and  their  wives;  and  the  lions 
had  the  mastery  of  them,  and  brake  all  their  bones  in  pieces 
or  ever  they  came  at  the  bottom  of  the  den.  Then  king 
Darius  wrote  mito  all  people,  nations,  and  languages,  that 
dwell  in  all  the  earth: 

"  Peace  be  multiplied  unto  you.  I  make  a  decree.  That 
in  every  dominion  of  my  kingdom  men  tremble  and  fear 
before  the  God  of  Daniel:  for  he  is  the  living  God,  and 
stedfast  for  ever,  and  his  kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be 
destroyed,  and  his  dominion  shall  be  even  unto  the  end.  He 
delivereth  and  rescueth,  and  he  worketh  signs  and  wonders 
in  heaven  and  in  earth,  who  hath  delivered  Daniel  from  the 
power  of  the  lions." 


JOIS^AH,  WHOM  GOD  TAUGHT  TO  BE  MERCIFUL 

ISTow  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  Jonah  the  son  of 
Amittai,  saying,  "  Arise,  go  to  Nineveh,  that  great  city,  and 
cry  against  it;  for  their  wickedness  is  come  up  before  me." 
But  Jonah  rose  up  to  flee  unto  Tarshish  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,  and  went  down  to  Joppa;  and  he  found  a  ship 
going  to  Tarshish:  so  he  paid  the  fare  thereof,  and  went 
down  into  it,  to  go  with  them  unto  Tarshish  from  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Lord. 

But  the  Lord  sent  out  a  great  wind  into  the  sea,  and  there 
was  a  mighty  tempest  in  the  sea,  so  that  the  ship  was  hke 
to  be  broken.  Then  the  mariners  were  afraid,  and  cried  every 
man  unto  his  god,  and  cast  forth  the  wares  that  were  in  the 
ship  into  the  sea,  to  lighten  it  of  them.  But  Jonah  was  gone 
down  into  the  sides  of  the  ship;  and  he  lay,  and  was  fast 
asleep.  So  the  shipmaster  came  to  him,  and  said  unto  him : 

"  What  meanest  thou,  O  sleeper  ?  arise,  call  upon  thy 
God,  if  so  be  that  God  will  think  upon  us,  that  we  perish 
not."  And  they  said  every  one  to  his  fellow : 

"  Come,  and  let  us  cast  lots,  that  we  may  know  for  whose 
cause  this  evil  is  upon  us."  So  they  cast  lots,  and  the  lot  fell 
upon  Jonah.  Then  said  they  unto  him : 

"  Tell  us,  we  pray  thee,  for  whose  cause  this  evil  is  upon 

291 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

us :  What  is  thine  occupation  ?  and  whence  comest  thou  ? 
what  is  thy  country?  and  of  what  people  art  thou?  "  And  he 
said  unto  them: 

"I  am  an  Hebrew;  and  I  fear  the  Lord,  the  God  of 
heaven,  which  hath  made  the  sea  and  the  dry  land."  Then 
were  the  men  exceedingly  afraid,  and  said  unto  him: 

^'  Why  hast  thou  done  this  ?  "  For  the  men  knew  that  he 
fled  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  because  he  had  told 
them.  Then  said  they  unto  him : 

"  What  shall  we  do  unto  thee,  that  the  sea  may  be  calm 
unto  us  ?  "  For  the  sea  wrought,  and  was  tempestuous.  And 
he  said  unto  them : 

"  Take  me  up,  and  cast  me  forth  into  the  sea;  so  shall  the 
sea  be  calm  unto  you:  for  I  know  that  for  my  sake  this 
great  tempest  is  upon  you." 

IS^evertheless  the  men  rowed  hard  to  bring  it  to  the  land; 
but  they  could  not :  for  the  sea  wrought,  and  was  tempestuous 
against  them.  Wherefore  they  cried  unto  the  Lord,  and  said : 

"  We  beseech  thee,  O  Lord,  we  beseech  thee,  let  us  not 
perish  for  this  man's  life,  and  lay  not  upon  us  innocent 
blood:  for  thou,  O  Lord,  hast  done  as  it  pleased  thee."  So 
they  took  up  Jonah,  and  cast  him  forth  into  the  sea:  and  the 
sea  ceased  from  her  raging.  Then  the  men  feared  the  Lord 
exceedingly,  and  offered  a  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord,  and  made 
vows. 

Now  the  Lord  had  prepared  a  great  fish  to  swallow  up 

292 


JONAH,  WHOM   GOD   TAUGHT   TO   BE  MERCIFUL 

Jonah.  And  Jonah  was  in  the  belly  of  the  fish  three  days 
and  three  nights.  Then  Jonah  prayed  unto  the  Lord  his 
God  out  of  the  fish's  belly,  and  said : 

"  I  cried  by  reason  of  mine  affliction  unto  the  Lord,  and 
he  heard  me;  out  of  the  belly  of  hell  cried  I,  and  thou 
heardest  my  voice.  For  thou  hadst  cast  me  into  the  deep,  in 
the  midst  of  the  seas;  and  the  floods  compassed  me  about: 
all  thy  billows  and  thy  waves  passed  over  me.  Then  I  said, 
I  am  cast  out  of  thy  sight;  yet  I  will  look  again  toward  thy 
holy  temple.  The  waters  compassed  me  about,  even  to  the 
soul:  the  depth  closed  me  round  about,  the  weeds  were 
wrapped  about  my  head.  I  went  down  to  the  bottoms  of  the 
mountains;  the  earth  with  her  bars  was  about  me  for  ever: 
yet  hast  thou  brought  up  my  life  from  corruption,  O  Lord 
my  God.  When  my  soul  fainted  within  me  I  remembered 
the  Lord:  and  my  prayer  came  in  unto  thee,  into  thine  holy 
temple.  They  that  observe  lying  vanities  forsake  their  own 
mercy.  But  I  will  sacrifice  unto  thee  with  the  voice  of 
thanksgiving;  I  will  pay  that  that  I  have  vowed.  Salvation 
is  of  the  Lord."  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  the  fish,  and  it 
vomited  out  Jonah  upon  the  dry  land. 

And  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  Jonah  the  second 
time,  saying: 

"Arise,  go  unto  Nineveh,  that  great  city,  and  preach 
unto  it  the  preaching  that  I  bid  thee."  So  Jonah  arose,  and 
went  unto  ^Nineveh,  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord. 

293 


THE  ISRAELITES  IN  EXILE 

Now  Nineveh  was  an  exceeding  great  city  of  three  days' 
journey.  And  Jonah  began  to  enter  into  the  city  a  day's 
journey,  and  he  cried,  and  said: 

"  Yet  forty  days,  and  Nineveh  shall  be  overthrown." 

So  the  people  of  Nineveh  beheved  God,  and  proclaimed  a 
fast,  and  put  on  sackcloth,  from  the  greatest  of  them  even  to 
the  least  of  them.  For  word  came  unto  the  king  of  Nineveh, 
and  he  arose  from  his  throne,  and  he  laid  his  robe  from  him, 
and  covered  him  with  sackcloth,  and  sat  in  ashes.  And  he 
caused  it  to  be  proclaimed  and  published  through  Nineveh 
by  the  decree  of  the  king  and  his  nobles,  saying,  "Let 
neither  man  nor  beast,  herd  nor  flock,  taste  any  thing:  let 
them  not  feed,  nor  drink  water:  but  let  man  and  beast  be 
covered  with  sackcloth,  and  cry  mightily  unto  God:  yea,  let 
them  turn  every  one  from  his  evil  way,  and  from  the  vio- 
lence that  is  in  their  hands.  Who  can  tell  if  God  will  turn 
and  repent,  and  turn  away  from  his  fierce  anger,  that  we 
perish  not  ? "  And  God  saw  their  works,  that  they  turned 
from  their  evil  way;  and  God  re23ented  of  the  evil,  that  he 
had  said  that  he  would  do  unto  them;  and  he  did  it  not. 

But  it  displeased  Jonah  exceedingly,  and  he  was  very 
angry.  And  he  prayed  unto  the  Lord,  and  said: 

"  I  pray  thee,  O  Lord,  was  not  this  my  saying,  when  I  was 
yet  in  my  country?  Therefore  I  fled  before  unto  Tarshish: 
for  I  knew  that  thou  art  a  gracious  God,  and  merciful,  slow 
to  anger,  and  of  great  kindness,  and  repentest  thee  of  the 

294 


JONAH,  WHOM  GOD  TAUGHT  TO  BE  MERCIFUL 

evil.  Therefore  now,  O  Lord,  take,  I  beseech  thee,  my  life 
from  me;  for  it  is  better  for  me  to  die  than  to  live."  Then 
said  the  Lord: 

"  Doest  thou  well  to  be  angry?  " 

So  Jonah  went  out  of  the  city,  and  sat  on  the  east  side 
of  the  city,  and  there  made  him  a  booth,  and  sat  under  it  in 
the  shadow,  till  he  might  see  what  would  become  of  the  city. 
And  the  Lord  God  prepared  a  gourd,  and  made  it  to  come 
up  over  Jonah,  that  it  might  be  a  shadow  over  his  head,  to 
deliver  him  from  his  grief.  So  Jonah  was  exceeding  glad  of 
the  gourd.  But  God  prepared  a  worm  when  the  morning 
rose  the  next  day,  and  it  smote  the  gourd  that  it  withered. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  sun  did  arise,  that  God  pre- 
pared a  vehement  east  wind;  and  the  sun  beat  upon  the 
head  of  Jonah,  that  he  fainted,  and  wished  in  himself  to  die, 
and  said,  "  It  is  better  for  me  to  die  than  to  live."  And  God 
said  to  Jonah: 

"Doest  thou  well  to  be  angry  for  the  gourd?"  And  he  said: 

"I  do  well  to  be  angry,  even  unto  death."  Then  said  the 
Lord: 

"  Thou  hast  had  pity  on  the  gourd,  for  the  which  thou 
hast  not  laboured,  neither  madest  it  grow ;  which  came  up  in 
a  night,  and  perished  in  a  night:  and  should  not  I  spare 
Nineveh,  that  great  city,  wherein  are  more  than  sixscore 
thousand  persons  that  cannot  discern  between  their  right 
hand  and  their  left  hand;  and  also  much  cattle?" 


CAMBRIDGE  .  MASSACHUSETTS 
U    .    S    .    A 


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